


Visit by a God from the past

by I_am_she



Series: Wangxian; The Seasoned Time Travelers [1]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, 陈情令 | The Untamed (TV)
Genre: BAMF Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn, Bruce is here for this, Bucky Barnes Feels, Bucky is a little shit, Clint's settling down for the show with popcorn, Crossover, Handwavy Science, I Tried, I'm Bad At Tagging, I'm Sorry, Insecure Tony, Lan Wangji's lack of facial expressions, M/M, Multi, Nat is here for this, Science Experiments, Thorki - Freeform, Time Travel, What Was I Thinking?, Yiling Patriach Wei Wuxian, chenching, forgive me but I can't begin to make myself understand, inaccurate science theories, snake loki, steve is a sweetheart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-18
Updated: 2020-07-02
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:46:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 28,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24253060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_am_she/pseuds/I_am_she
Summary: Lan Wangji is sucked into some sort of time traveling portal into the future. That's it... That's the fic.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī/Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn
Series: Wangxian; The Seasoned Time Travelers [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1893301
Comments: 172
Kudos: 459





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I honestly don't know what this is... Or whatever I'm doing really. I'm lazy and lack the patience to commit to a long project, but eh we'll see.
> 
> English is not my first language. This is unbeta'd, so all mistakes are mine.
> 
> Enjoy ❤️

Tony fell flat onto his bed, suit and all. He was so tired, he loosened his tie lifelessly, so it would stop digging into his neck. Thank God the rest of the team wasn't up and about when he arrived, he wouldn't like them to see him weary and beat up. It was bad press.  
Pepper had told him he had next few days off, so he could rest, she'd said, as if she didn't know he couldn't live without something to do... Something to tinker with. But oh well he'd humour her and stay at home, she really had no way of knowing whether or not he was resting.

It was still dark out, and a quick look at his phone told him it was quarter past five, quite early. He'd been to Pretoria for the launching of a new branch of SI, then to Istanbul to give a talk at a science and technology convention without a break in between. One would think he would be used to that kind of lifestyle by now, but alas he was only human.

He lay flopped on the bed for a good long while, but as tired and jetlagged as he was, sleep still evaded him and he had no desire to take some of those melatonin pills that Pepper gave him a while back. So he decided he might as well get up and begin his day. 

After a seriously long time in the shower, he got dressed in an old Grey sweater which he was quite sure had once belonged to Rhodey, because of the sheer size of it. It was woven in a loose pattern, so it was partially see through, but it was soft and cozy so it would do. That paired with a pair of tragically old jeans made him look as homey as he could get...for when Pepper would most definitely video call to see if he was being good.

"To the common room, J," he murmured to his AI as he got into the elevator.

"It's nice to see you too, Sir," the cool electronic voice of JARVIS answered.

Tony had to laugh at that. 

"It's not as if we're never together, J, you've seen and heard me every day since I created you," he said softly, tired beyond compare.

The elevator opened with a whoosh of warm air and Tony smiled a little as he exited the car, "Thanks, J."

"My pleasure, Sir."

It was a little past seven so Tony wasn't surprised when he found Steve sat at the couch with his drawing book and a couple color pencils on the table in front of him. 

"Morning, Cap," he greeted trying to sound as cheerful as possible not only to distract Steve's observant eyes from his visible exhaustion, but also to divert his own attention from how absolutely beautiful the Captain looked with his still slightly wet hair and bright blue eyes and pretty pink lips and unbelievably wide shoulders and how the sun rays filtering from the window behind him made him glow like.... 

"Good morning, Tony," Steve said and his train of thought, mercifully, halted. 

As he prepared his coffee, he was painfully aware of Steve's piercing gaze, he could feel it scorching the side of his face and it was making him nervous. The fact that Steve was so obviously staring, and not bothering to hide it, meant he found a fault in his scrutiny and he was going to ask about it. 

Please God no, Tony was sure he was going to burst into tears if Steve asked in his oh so gentle voice if he was okay. 

Before he did though, Bucky spilled into the room with a high whine of "Stevie" and Steve turned to face him. Thank God for small mercies. 

Bucky proceeded to literally drape himself over Steve, completely disregarding the fact that the latter had been drawing, to kiss him on the lips. Tony looked away and his hand shook as he poured himself coffee. He was starting to think it had been a bad idea to come down for coffee. 

"Hiya Tony," Bucky was lounging against Steve, completely uncaring of the fact that his wet hair was dripping all over the place, including Steve, he didn't seem to mind. 

"Morning, Bucky," he said forced to look back so as not to seem rude and promptly choked on his coffee. 

Because... because Bucky was shirtless as he almost always usually was (so it shouldn't be such a shock really) and was looking at him with those blue-gray eyes of his... And and... Why oh why did he have to be so.... hot. 

"You okay?" Steve asked, not moving an inch since he was buried in a pile of muscle and metal.  
Bucky just smiled with the barest hint of a smirk. 

"I'm fine," he choked out weakly, settling himself on a bar stool. Bucky was going to kill him. 

It was then that both Natasha and Clint came in announcing that they were going to make breakfast, Russian, so they didn't want to be bothered in the kitchen. 

Bucky had completely staked claim to Steve's entire left side snuggling into him like a lazy cat demanding to be pet, and Steve indulged him, running his fingers through Bucky's long hair while drawing with the other. 

Tony was a little jealous. 

He made eye contact with Bucky and his soul almost left him as Bucky's tiny smirk had graduated to an almighty one. He could feel his face heat like a great furnace, but he could not make himself look away, he couldn't not look at Bucky looking at him like that. 

He saw Steve turn, look at Bucky, then follow the trajectory of his eyes... and Steve smiled his cheeks glowing a delicate pink. Tony faltered, his gaze dropping and inadvertently loosing their little game. 

There was the faint sound of chuckling, and Tony had no idea when Bruce had come into the room so engrossed he had been staring at Bucky... and his boyfriend. 

His eyes were brought back up the sound of Steve's rumbling chuckle, and he could clearly see Steve and Bucky looking at him. Were they talking about him? Right here where he could see them? So very obviously? The thought wasn't bad at all, in fact it made him squirmy and a little hot under the collar. When Bucky leaned over to nibble on Steve's earlobe all while staring at Tony, he couldn't take it. 

He stood on shaky legs, barely avoiding pouring his now cold coffee over himself and quite literally fled the room not in the least bit subtle. 

Bruce's highly amused laughter following him all the way to his workshop.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, we're assuming wangxian were on good terms after the defeat of Wen Ruohan. So I'm taking them awhile after the fall of the Qishan Wen sect but before the sect leaders' conference in Jinlin Tai.
> 
> (Is it Jinlin Tai or Lanlin Jin? 🤷♀️)

Tony was still trembling minutely even as he placed his mug on the counter top in his workshop. He hated himself for reacting this way because Bucky probably meant nothing by his actions.  
He sagged against the counter, but what if... what if Bucky had somehow realized his... well his probable feelings and was now mocking him for it, that he'll never have Steve? Was Bucky being cruel? Was Bucky... God but Steve wouldn't let him right? If Bucky was being purposely cruel Steve would make him stop, right? Right?

Tony could feel tears pickling at his eyes, he'd upset himself again. He needed to do something, take his mind off such heartbreaking Thoughts. He looked at the machine right next to the counter, he was going to work it despite Bruce's absence.

It really was a lucky that Bruce 'Steve said not to do anything dangerous' Banner wasn't here because he'd make him stop. He really should stop being friends with Bruce, the guy only came down here to keep an eye on him at Steve's behest, his field of expertise was completely different from Tony's own. Tony didn't mind most of the time.

"DUM E, make Daddy a drink would you?" he said and he heard the whirring of Dum E as he set about doing his task. Tony was a proud father.

He put his hands on the yet untested machine and felt himself salivate, he wiggled his fingers, "alright, let's do this."

"The Captain will not be pleased." JARVIS said and although it was just a comment, maybe a little cautionary, Tony felt attacked.

He should be able to do whatever in his own workshop, right?

"Not you too, J," he whined.

"I only thought it worth mentioning, Sir," and it was a little consoling that JARVIS sounded apologetic.

"I'll be careful, yeah? Don't worry too much."

He worked on the machine for a while, not noticing the passage of time and was very grateful for the lack of interruption.

〰️〰️

Lan Wangji walked calmly from the hanshi, quietly contemplating about his journey ahead. He'd already talked to his elder brother, so he knew he was okay with Lan Wangji going to see Wei Ying. His uncle... Xiongzhang was going to take care of that.

"Hangwangjun," several disciples saluted as he passed by them, he nodded back respectfully as he headed for the exit to Cloud Recesses. He used his silver token of passage to exit the wards protecting the gates and the disciples guarding the gates saluted him as he unsheathed Bichen, his sword, in preparation to fly.

"I will be back shortly," he said to the disciples at the gates and mounted his sword, flying straight for Yunmeng, to Lotus Pier, to Wei Ying.

The war was over, the threat of the Qishan Wen was long gone and they no longer had to hide, they no longer had to fight. But that just meant that Wangji had no excuses to meet Wei Ying, he had no more reasons to justify wanting to bring Wei Ying back to the Cloud Recesses. 

And Lan Wangji was desperate, he was a man clutching at straws here. He knew he wasn't expressive enough, he wasn't good with his words at all and the thought of actually speaking to Wei Ying about his feelings was enough to make his ears burn.

He would take any excuse, any at all just to be in Wei Ying's presence. He was too impatient to wait for the conference that was to happen after a few weeks at Koi Tower, he could say he wanted to play cleansing for Wei Ying if anyone (read:Jiang Wanyin) asked.

He could see the sparkling waters surrounding Caiyi Town as he flew past over them, Yunmeng was a little distance away, but he could speed up and make the journey shorter seeing as he had one of the strongest cores of their generation (boasting was prohibited, but he really wasn't. This was simply a fact that the whole cultivation world knew), and he had no one to slow him down.

As he neared Yunmeng, the darkness of the Burial Mounds rose out of the horizon and he shivered involuntarily. The town of Yiling right at the foot of the Burial Mounds was especially festive and Lan Wangji wondered if he should alight and buy Wei Ying a jar of wine. Maybe Wei Ying would be softened towards his plight if he had something to entice him with?(it was most certainly not a bribe). 

Before he started to descend though, the air right in front of him seemed to warp and distort suspiciously. He reached for his guqin in his qiankun pouch but the air tore open with a distressing sound, further startling an already confused Lan Wangji. With the speed he'd been cruising at, it was most certainly impossible for him to just stop, so he watched with increasing horror as he hurtled through the space in the air (a portal?). 

Lan Wangji, as he sped through a vortex of swirling colours, couldn't help but think that there maybe was a disgruntled faction of the Qishan Wen sect that wanted to exact their revenge, but were too cowardly to fight them head on and were instead picking them off one by one. 

Even as he braced himself for the coming pain, torture and utter humiliation, he couldn't help but think of Wei Ying and his brother. Who was going to warn them? Who was going to prepare them for this? Lan Wangji felt sorry, he really did, for being selfish because the cultivation world was in probably imminent danger but all he could bring himself to worry about was Wei Ying and his brother. 

〰️〰️

"It worked!" 

Tony leaped around the workshop, doing a little victory dance and nearly knocking over his now empty smoothie glass. 

"Ha!" he crowed, still high on endorphins, "take that Rogers!" 

"Uh... Sir?" 

And wasn't it a technological Marvel that he could hear the hesitation in JARVIS' voice. 

"I am I a genius or am I a genius? Huh J?" he did a little twirl and promptly tripped on his own two feet. Was that... Was that... 

"J, call---" 

"They are already on their way, Sir" JARVIS interrupted and Tony wanted to kiss him. 

He kept his eyes trained on the man? infront of him. He had on the most elaborate, most pristine white robes Tony had ever seen in his life. And was that a sword??


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!  
> Jinlin Tai is Koi tower while Lanlin Jin is the general region as ArdenMichaelis so helpfully informed me, thank you ❤️
> 
> Onwards!

Tony kept staring intently at the new Comer, even as he heard the hiss of pressurized air as the door to his workshop opened and admitted quite a number of people (only Nat and Bucky were able to move completely silently).

He was starting to worry because what if he'd messed with the time machine and somehow created something akin to the bifrost that had access to Thor's Yggdrasil tree thing coz there was no way the creature before them was human. Other than the one perfunctory glance at the whole room when they'd first arrived, the white clad person never showed one sign of the shock they were most probably feeling. Their eyes were held at a level that neither spoke of shyness nor arrogance, just plain indifference. Clint would call it a resting bitch face, but whatever. 

"I'm gonna go call Thor," that was most definitely Bruce's Oh-no-I'm-gonna-hulk-out-so-imma-excuse-myself voice and his footsteps faded out of hearing range, leaving them in their painfully awkward silence.

Steve sighed, "Tony, explain," he truly had planned to just relax on one of his rare days off.

"It was an accident, I didn't mean for it to happen!" he blurted. And it was entirely true this time, not one of his excuses--he tended to put some thought into those.

Steve turned exasperated blue eyes to him and he immediately ducked behind the closest object , and if said object just happened to be Bucky's much taller frame then...

"... Looks Asian," Tony caught the tail end of Sam's whisper.

"Yeah, he's dressed like one of those guys in the Chinese costume dramas Nat likes to watch," Clint whispered back.

"Ow!" Clint whisper shouted as Nat smacked him on the back of the head, " What? It's true!" 

Did they think they were being quiet??

Sam stepped out of their little group, "Hold on, I got this," he said. 

He stepped closer to the new Comer... And finally, a reaction! The new comer's sword unsheathed by just an inch and Sam stopped, his hands going palms up. 

Tony looked at his teammates to see if they'd all seen what he'd clearly just seen, they'd pulled out their sword?? just the barest of inches?? without using their hands?? Were they a magician? If Tony had somehow accidentally portaled a magic user from the nine realms they would definitely need Thor's help, and possibly Strange's too. 

"H-e-l-l-o," Sam began, exaggeratedly slow, "d-o y-o-u c-m-e i-n p-e-a-c-e?" 

Natasha face palmed. 

The stranger was nonplussed. 

"It's not working," Clint whisper shouted, "Tony help!" 

"What? Why me?!" Tony exclaimed. 

"You're a genius!" Clint shot back as if that was the solution to everything. 

"That doesn't mean I know Chinese... Mandarin... Whatever!" 

"I thought you knew everything!" 

Steve and Bucky looked on like confused benevolent gods. 

Nat looked like she just wanted to sleep. 

"Thor's on his way, he's bringing Loki," Bruce reported as he ambled into the workshop. 

The tense atmosphere had by then softened somewhat. 

"Hello," Bruce said in perfect Chinese to the newcomer.

The newcomer merely inclined their head to acknowledge the greeting. Definitely royalty. 

"What?" Bruce frowned at their surprised faces, "I've lived in Asia most of my life, of course I learned a thing or two." 

The newcomer made a weird hand gesture in front of himself, Nat narrowed her eyes but didn't act, what were they going to do against magic anyway? 

"We'll have to find someone to interpret then--" 

"No need," the newcomer said in perfect English, his cool voice rolling like the cold bitter winds in the thick of winter. 

He proceeded to clasp his hands, arms outstretched before himself, his ridiculously wide sleeves flowing as low as his kness, and got into a small elegant bow and Tony was pretty sure whoever said swans were graceful had clearly not come across this person. 

"My name is Lan Zhan, courtesy Wangji of the Gusu Lan clan." 

(A/N: Can we pretend that there's some sort of cultivator miracle magic that can translate languages? Thanks.)


	4. Chapter 4

Fast forward two days and Tony was sure Clint had a not so slight man crush on Wangji; Clint wouldn't leave the guy alone, and aside from Wangji's severe aversion to touch, he was surprisingly patient with Clint's antics if a little indifferent.

Presently, they were sitted (well sitted was a generous word since Wangji was kneeling on the comfiest floor pillow Tony could find and Clint was sort of draped on the table) at the low table and Wangji was serving tea using his shiny new tea set. Clint was trying to convince Wangji that he had to wear 'normal' clothes like the rest of them.

It was going over as smoothly as one could expect. 

Sam launched a throw pillow at Clint's head, "Dude, the guy is from the Ming dynasty Era or something, to him, we're the ones dressed abnormally."

Clint stuck his tongue out at Sam. 

"Ain't I right, Wangji?" Sam asked the jade like man sipping tea as if he had no care in the world.

Wangji put his tea cup down and inclined his head slightly at Sam, "Young Master Wilson is right."

Ah! There it was. Man they were having a kick out of being called "young masters" and "Miss Romanov" the only one exception was Steve because he had to deal with being called "Sect Leader Rogers". He was driven to almost tears every time Wangji called him that, and refused to refer to him as anything else as it would be 'impolite'.

Right on cue, Steve came into the room with Nat in tow fresh from sparring if the rosy flush on Steve's cheeks was anything to go by, and Wangji stood fluidly to bow in what they'd come to know as a salute,

"Sect Leader Rogers, Miss Romanov." 

Steve's face scrunched uncomfortably while Nat beamed, "Hey, Wangji." 

From above came loud echoing laughter, and Bucky was still shaking with mirth as he dropped down from the vent, "God, Stevie, he makes you sound like a cult leader." 

Steve turned a long suffering expression to Wangji but he was steadfastly ignored, and if Tony didn't know any better he'd think Wangji was trolling Steve. 

Nat settled herself on the floor pillow opposite to Wangji and got tea for her trouble. Tony was thinking about how his teammates were starting to play favorites when Bucky dropped himself next to him, 

"Whatcha doing, Tony?" he breathed way too close to Tony's ear. 

With absolutely steady hands, Tony turned the Starktablet so Bucky could see better. He was working on taking Wangji back home, it really wasn't easy. He didn't have the slightest of what variables to use, what equations were accurate, what to touch and what not to.   
Bringing Wangji to the future had been a mistake, an accident and now to recreate said accident but in reverse? Yeah he was a genius but he was no god. He'd already began and was actually almost done with the customization of Wangji's rooms, with Bruce's advice of course (he was drawing the line though on sleeping arrangements, no one was sleeping on a PALETTE in his tower dammit!), where he would be staying, hopefully comfortably, till further notice. 

The warm weight of Bucky at his side was comforting, and Tony went all tingly when Bucky touched the side of his face with cool metal fingers, 

"If anyone can crack this, it's you," and Tony was a man of science, a discipline renowned for always being at war with the arts, but Tony could write poems, sonnets, ballads about how the turbulent seas of Bucky's eyes drew him in, made him want to drown, made him want to live in them...

Nat's tinkling laugh brought him out of his reverie, and he drew back with a shaky exhale; what was he thinking getting close to Bucky like that. 

"I could be convinced," Wangji's arctic windlike voice blew over to him. 

"Oh wow!" Sam screeched, "just like that? Clint's been trying for days and all you had to do was subtly suggest was that it'll reduce the pressure on Tony?" Sam crowed like a harpy. 

That was some extremely blatant manipulation right there, but Tony wasn't complaining because it was quite true actually. Every time he saw Wangji's robes he was reminded that the guy was a man out of time and it was his fault and it made him all the more guilty that he couldn't get him back home. 

The servos of Bucky's arm whirred as he shifted and Tony looked over, "Your arm giving you trouble?" 

"Nah," Bucky shook his head, settling comfortably in the crook of Tony's neck, "it's fine." 

Tony felt like he would spontaneously combust, what was Bucky doing? Did he forget Steve was in the very same room? Not that it would be okay even if he wasn't, but still! 

He twiddled his thumbs nervously, feeling good that Bucky was curled into him like that but also feeling bad for feeling good because what about Steve? 

"Eh! No! We can't take him outside," Clint yelled suddenly, "we'd make the news for allegedly kidnapping an actor from a costume drama set!" 

Lord give him patience, Tony wrinkled his brow in impatience, why do they have to behave like Neanderthals living in the 21st century? 

"There is this new fangled thing called the internet, you know," he said sarcastically, "it's so great it even has this oh so wonderful thing called online shopping." 

"Shut up, Stark," Clint spat bitterly but still took out his Starkpad and after a few taps put in front of Wangji for him to "just pick whatever" 

"Hey, Tony," Steve knelt before the couch and gently stroked Bucky's hair, "I'm preparing lunch, any suggestions?" 

Tony shook his head dumbly, "whatever's fine." 

"Hmm, okay." 

Steve stood after a gentle peck on Bucky's hair and went to the kitchen. 

Tony was so sure he was going to shake apart piece by piece but he'd been tasked with the glorious responsibility of being Bucky's pillow, and he was taking it very seriously. 

So stay put he shall.


	5. Chapter 5

There was a letter, it was sitting on top of his table and he didn't know whether this was a joke or not. He poured his tea into a lilac purple cup and breathed in the scent of the strained jasmine leaves that Nie Huaisang had sent him, if this did turn out to be a prank, he was going to whip his stupid brother using zidian.

There was a letter on his table from Lan Xichen and it had been addressed to Lan Wangji. Jiang Cheng carefully opened the missive, fully prepared to see something ridiculous inside so he could have an excuse to drag Wei Wuxian kicking and screaming from his bed. It was already 10 am, quite late to still be in bed if you asked Jiang Cheng.

The letter was quite tame and positively flowery, the calligraphy was also impeccable; this was most definitely not Wei Wuxian's chicken scrawl.  
Could it be that Lan Xichen had actually written this? Why would Sect Leader Lan think the second young master Lan was here? Jiang Cheng had not seen hide or hair of him since the war had been won.

Jiang Cheng shook his head as he picked up a brush and wrote to Lan Xichen to tell him just that.

〰️〰️

"Sect Leader Lan?" a junior disciple clad in Jiang purple robes asked in puzzlement before arranging himself into a clumsy salute.

Lan Xichen didn't spare him a glance, he just quickly sheathed Shuoye and strode purposefully into Lotus Pier barely registering the startled looks he left in his wake.

"Jiang guniang," he exclaimed stopping himself just in time from barreling right past her.

"Sect Leader Lan, is anything the matter?" she asked gently, and Lan Xichen was sorry for just barging in like this with no previous arrangement whatsoever.

"Yes! I mean, No!" he looked away supremely flustered, "I'm sorry, Jiang guniang, but where can I find Sect Leader Jiang?"

"In the throne room," Jiang Yanli answered promptly, seeing as the man was terribly worried. She turned to the servant girl next to her, "A-su, please take Sect Leader there."

Lan Xichen could barely register the quaint almost naive beauty of Lotus pier, how almost every single thing was created in the recurring motif of the lotus flower. A-su saluted him and fled immediately after they arrived.

What was happening? Lan Xichen could hardly believe that he was staring at almost fully grown men; Wei Wuxian had Jiang Wanyin in a headlock and was using his younger brother's body as a seat in a way that was undignified in every sense of the word.  
"Who's the older brother in this relationship?" Wei Wuxian demanded hotly. 

Lan Xichen almost despaired, were this the people he was coming to for help? Jiang Wanyin had began valiantly trying to swim away from Wei Wuxian's clutches whilst cursing him and his next three generations fiercely, it was most painful to watch. 

Lan Xichen cleared his throat and it was comical how Wei Wuxian immediately made himself presentable while still on top of Jiang Wanyin, 

"Sect Leader Lan?" Wei Wuxian finally heaved his weight off of his poor brother and came towards him. 

Lan Xichen busied himself with greetings to Wei Wuxian to grant Jiang Wanyin the dignity of settling himself onto the lotus throne at the center of the room. 

"My brother, Sect Leader Jiang, did my brother not make it here?" he said throwing propriety out the window. 

"Not that I know of," Jiang Wanyin answered in a level tone. It was intriguing how he could go from a harassed younger brother to a dignified Sect Leader in seconds, it must be a talent. 

"Last I saw Wangji was three weeks ago, and he was headed here," Lan Xichen almost screamed in frustration. 

"As I told you before in the letter, Lan Wangji has not stepped foot in the soil of Lotus Pier." 

"Wait!" Wei Wuxian interrupted, "what letter? Lan Zhan was coming here?" he turned to Jiang Wanyin, eyebrows narrowing suspiciously, "why am I only hearing about this now?!" 

"I only knew about it last week!!" Jiang Wanyin exploded. 

This was not helping.  
He turned to Wei Wuxian, "Did Wangji talk to you? About anything at all?" 

Wei Wuxian shook his head. 

"He said, he said he was coming here. Coming to you, he wanted to play you cleansing to calm your mind because he was worried about you and your cultivational method, and --" 

"He was worried about me?" Wei Wuxian interrupted. 

"Yah!" Jiang Wanyin exclaimed, "Lan Wangji is missing and that's what you're concerned about?" 

"Calm down, Sect Leader Lan, we'll find him. He's a capable man with a strong golden core, he can't be in too much trouble," Jiang Wanyin said as he put his arm around the clearly distraught man's shoulder to steer him toward the guest quarters. 

〰️〰️

A month had almost gone by with no word of Lan Zhan. They no news is good news, but no that wasn't good enough for Wei Wuxian. He'd asked around Yiling and the only thing he'd gotten was that a white clad man had been spotted maneuvering his sword around Yiling almost two months ago. 

Search parties in both Qinghe Nie and Lanling Jin had come up negative and Wei Wuxian was always five seconds ago from brutally murdering someone.  
Lan Xichen was always on edge, barely eating and not sitting still, pacing up and down all day, Wei Wuxian could relate. 

Jiang Cheng had once said to Lan Xichen, in a bid to comfort him, that he understood; that at the time Wei Wuxian had been thrown into the Burial Mounds, he'd been climbing walls and lacking sleep too. 

That got Wei Wuxian thinking, what if Lan Zhan was in a place like the Burial Mounds? Alone and terrified for his life as he had been those three months in the Burial Mounds? Wei Wuxian would not stand for it. 

He stomped into Lan Xichen's room, completely forgetting his manners and neglecting to knock on the door, and was not surprised at all to find Jiang Cheng sitted next to him, trying in his very terrible way, to comfort him. 

"Lie down on the bed, Sect Leader Lan, I want to try something," he said, more of an order than a request but Wei Wuxian wasn't giving any fucks right at this moment. 

Lan Xichen lifelessly moved to comply. 

"What the hell, Wei Wuxian?!" Jiang Cheng jumped to his feet. 

"Not now, Jiang Cheng," he said darkly. 

It was a testament to how desperate Lan Xichen was that he would let the infamous Yiling Patriach 'try something' on him. 

He bit into his finger and used his blood to draw on two talismans and stuck them; one on Lan Xichen's forehead and the other on his chest. 

He took out a spirit trapping pouch, it was still a prototype but it would do, "Now Lan Xichen, I'd like you to close your eyes and imagine you're using Liebing." 

Lan Xichen's brows furrowed slightly. 

"I want you to channel your spiritual energy as if you were using Liebing," Wei Wuxian repeated patiently. 

Lan Xichen closed his eyes for a brief moment then, "I can't, Young Master --" 

"What do you mean you can't? Your imagination is not so limited!" Wei Wuxian exploded and in the periphery of his eye, saw Jiang Cheng flatten himself on the wall. 

Wei Wuxian sighed and knelt next to the bed, "Lan Xichen, I know you are worried about Lan Zhan, I am too. All of our searches have not yielded any fruit, so let me try it my way. But you have to work with me, please!" 

Lan Xichen nodded and soon, he had trapped a sizable amount of spiritual power in his pouch. He left immediately after thanking Lan Xichen. 

Jiang Cheng flew after him,"Hey, what do you think you're doing?" he demanded, "what's that for?" he pointed at the faintly glowing pouch. 

"I needed something close enough to Lan Zhan's energy signature," he said. Jiang Cheng was confused. 

"I have to go, at least make an effort. Jiang Cheng, it's my fault, he was coming for me." 

Jiang Cheng cackled madly, "your fault? You think too highly of yourself sometimes. Had you asked for Lan Wangji's musical expertise or had he come just because he wanted to? This is not even remotely close to being your fault." 

Wei Wuxian smiled. 

"Just be careful, okay?" 

"Aaw, A-cheng!" Wei Wuxian brought Jiang Cheng close for a hug which he sank into briefly before pulling away roughly. 

"If you mess up, find someone else to bury your corpse, I'm done cleaning up after you!" he shouted as he stalked toward the training grounds. 

"I love you too, A-cheng!" Wei Wuxian crowed after his retreating figure utterly endeared. 

The Yiling Patriach headed to the Burial Mounds and shut himself in the Demon Subdue cave, he found it easier to ignore the screeching of the resentful energy in his head with a clear goal in mind. 

He was going to find Lan Zhan if it was the last thing he did.

(A/N: I know that's not how a spirit trapping pouch is used, humour me okay.)


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't think actual people would read this, I mean I don't even have the vaguest outline for this and I'm typing it out on my phone during my free time so...
> 
> Thanks for the love guys...wangxian fan I see you ❤️

Lan Wangji secured his pale blue cloud patterned forehead ribbon around his head. It was the only thing that he'd adamantly refused to let go of, he was glad the Avengers Sect didn't make him. He looked at his reflection in the full length mirror and tried not to feel underdressed, he was dressed in just innerwear for Guanyin's sake! but everyone else was dressing this way, some in even less, Lan Wangji would endure. He refused be impolite to his hosts.

The rooms he'd been allocated were sparsely furnished, but it was all things that were familiar to Lan Wangji. Young Master Stark had also been kind enough to include wind-chimes in his room, Lan Wangji would have to find a way to thank him. He took one last glance at his crisp white shirt, pale blue slacks and black dress?(he really didn't get the point of calling them that, but oh well) shoes. His silver watch weighed heavy on his left wrist, Young Master Stark had said it was Rolex, Lan Wangji didn't really care but it was a good replacement for his headpiece so he kept it. He did his hair into a neat half bun using a clear rubber band Miss Romanov had left him so it wouldn't get into his face and got out of his room.

Lan Wangji would have preferred to stay in his rooms within easy reach of his sword, but he'd earlier on realized that Young Master Barton would follow him there...everywhere really and bring Young Master Wilson as well. So he preferred to meet them in the common area instead.  
Lan Wangji realized he was well over two millenia in the future. Young Master Barton took him outside the other day, it didn't shock him as much as he expected. He was just amazed at how normal humans without a golden core were creative enough to make their lives easier. They could fly in the air for Guanyin's sake, higher and faster and much more safely too. Lan Wangji wouldn't need much convincing to get into one of those instead of his sword.

When Lan Wangji reached the common area, only Young Master Barnes was there. He was topless again and Lan Wangji tried not to stare at the scar tissue at the point his metal arm was joined to his shoulder, Lan Wangji liked to think he succeeded.

"It doesn't hurt," Young Master Barnes said suddenly, "it happened too long ago."

"Apologies, I didn't mean to stare," Lan Wangji intoned as he sat at his table.

"Tis okay," he said as he stretched and got to his feet, "now that you're here I know Stevie's about to wake up and go for his run. I gotta go so he doesn't worry that I've been loosing sleep again."

Lan Wangji merely nodded. What was he supposed to say in response to that?

"You clean up nicely, by the way!" Young Master Barnes said with a wink as he left.

Lan Wangji blinked in incomprehension. 

Lan Wangji summoned his guqin from his qiankun pouch, and as his fingers idly stroked the strings of Wangji, he couldn't help but think of Wei Ying.

The 21st century was agreeable, if it wasn't for the tiniest indisputable fact that HE'D HAD A LIFE GOING ON BACK HOME, it would have been... nice to stay here.

His fingers had unconsciously began plucking the strings of his guqin, and he realized belatedly that he was playing the song he'd written for Wei Ying, the song he'd hummed for Wei Ying in the cave of the Xuanwu of Slaughter while the other was delirious with fever. It was purely muscle memory that allowed him to play so smoothly, he was embarrassed to admit, even in his own head, that he was too distraught to make himself play anything else.

His heart hurt, he'd not set eyes on Wei Ying for far too long. His head hurt, how was Wei Ying? How was his elder brother? He hopped xiongzhang wasn't too worried. He would cry if he thought he had any more tears left in him.

It was light outside now, he kept playing. The Avengers Sect disciples would be up soon, he kept playing still. He heard movement from the ceiling above him, he still didn't stop. He couldn't make himself stop. From the corner of his eye, he saw a green snake twine up the stubby leg of his low table. What did Young Master Leufeyson think he was doing? He proceeded to slither across the underside of the table to peer over the other side; his pink forked tongue flickering to taste the air.

Lan Wangji stopped playing and turned to the snake, and staring hard to let it know just how not covert Lan Wangji thought it was. Young Master Leufeyson did his snake version of an eye roll and slithered forward, his green serpentine body slithering over the Qin strings with ease.  
He lifted his upper half up off the Qin so they could be face to face, "You're ssssad," he hissed.

Lan Wangji looked away, not used to people that weren't his brother being privy to his emotions. He'd been so generously informed by Young Master Odinson that Young Master Leufeyson, in his serpentine form, was scarily perceptive to changes in the air just by tasting it on his tongue, even emotional ones. And Lan Wangji being a creature of 'magic' was easier to read than other people.   
Young Master Leufeyson moved closer, tongue flickering and Lan Wangji tilted back slightly but didn't move from his seat, eying the serpent warily. 

"That's quite enough, Loki," Young Master Odinson boomed, suddenly snatching Young Master Leufeyson by the neck and flinging him around his neck like a particularly sturdy scarf. The snake writhed fiercely in protest and attempted to bite its brother, only to be thwarted by Young Master Odinson's metal braces. Lan Wangji wondered about their sibling dynamic. Almost like the Jiang brothers but less careful and more deadly.

"Well met, Wangji son of Lan!" Young Master Odinson shouted. Why did he have to be so loud?

"Good morning, Young Master Odinson," he replied evenly.

"Apologies for my wayward brother's sore lack of manners," he shot a look at his brother, "though it was not for lack of effort on our mother's part."

"No need," Lan Wangji replied with a slight inclination of his head.

But Lan Wangji couldn't shake Young Master Leufeyson's eerie scrutinizing gaze even as he was carted off by his brother.

"That was beautiful, Wangji" Miss Romanov said and Lan Wangji was surprised to find that she was already sitted across from him.

"Thank you."

"Your own composition?" she asked as she pushed a bowl of congee in front of him.

"Why do you ask?" he inquired as he picked up his chopsticks.

"Never heard it before," she shrugged, "it sounded like a love song, like longing and suppressed yearning. Like a plea to 'please love me back'."

Lan Wangji put some congee into his mouth and didn't answer. He was infinitely grateful that Miss Romanov didn't push. 

Young Master Barton joined them awhile later and Lan Wangji valiantly endured being fawned over. If he heard one more dreamy sigh about his perfect topaz colored eyes and his porcelain doll-likeness, however, he was going to put the silencing charm on them all.

Awhile later, when Young Masters Stark and Barnes were sitted on the couch and pretending not to make eyes at each other and the others were busy doing nothing, a shudder went through the tower. 

They were immediately on high alert. Young Master Leufeyson turned eerie green eyes to him and tilted his head much like his other serpentine form.   
Another sound like the clap of thunder, and Young Master Leufeyson stood up; coming closer to stare intently at his face and Lan Wangji tried not to find the action too jarring. 

"It's you!" he declared, prompting the rest to stare at Lan Wangji cautiously.   
Lan Wangji merely stared at him. 

The air filled with a consistent buzzing like it was filled with static and the lights flickered. Young Master Leufeyson circled him like a predator and the sound of the crows outside became especially loud. 

"It may be that it is not you, however, it is most certainly because of you."   
Lan Wangji tried not to look too pleased. 

"Wangji?" Miss Romanov. 

Lan Wangji looked at her and was not in the least bit surprised to find that she was clutching daggers in both her hands. 

Lan Wangji sighed and took a sip of his tea. If this was what he thought it was, he thought smugly, there was nothing they could do other than wait it out. 

There was a sudden sound of brutal ripping and the Avengers that were in various stances in preparation for nothing short of battle flinched back in shock. 

Lan Wangji sipped his tea. 

Black energy started seeping into the room from the tear in space and Young Master Leufeyson was suddenly wielding a scepter and Lan Wangji could feel the dark energy of his magic weighing heavily in the air. 

Lan Wangji was not worried. 

There was a boot clad foot and another boot clad foot as the horrendous sound of rending filled the air and a torso emerged; clad in all black and a hint of blood red. A head full of unruly hair tied loosely in a red hair tie appeared last and before the portal stitched itself back together they were treated to a truly terrifying view of a cave filled with darkness and blood red pool in the corner. 

"Who the fuck are you and where the hell are you keeping my Lan Zhan!"


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't like how this chapter turned out, but oh well.  
> Enjoy ❤️
> 
> PS: I'm mostly seeing wangxian people here (according to the comments that is) and I would like to know if you guys want stuckony in the background or should they have equal screen time.

Sam regretted every decision he'd made in his life that led to this moment, yes including meeting Steve, because this _was_ his fault.

"Come to the tower and keep an eye on Clint so he doesn't jump Wangji when no one's looking," he'd said. "It would be easy," he'd said.

Now Sam was standing (AKA; cowering behind Nat. He was the only unenhanced human in the room okay?! And he didn't have a meta human shielding him like Stark did.) face to face with a possibly homicidal man.

This guy was dressed in a Gothic version of how Wangji had looked when he first arrived, his sleeves tight against his arms and metal braces adorning his wrists. He raised his head and Sam scrambled back at the red in his eyes, his red irises seemed to pulse as he scanned the room till they stopped on Loki and narrowed dangerously.

There was a hint of red peeking from the guys collar and it really seemed like the crimson of his eyes was dripping onto his robes. He spoke, and it was an incomprehensible barrage of Chinese, but just from the aggressiveness of his tone Sam felt he would be better off jumping out the window than facing this man in a fight.

Loki's scepter was already glowing a faint green as they stared each other down and were the rest of them so insignificant they didn't register as a threat? Coz this guy barely even spared them a glance.

Seeing as they weren't answering him (they didn't understand him but strange guy had no way of knowing that), his hand drifted down towards a flute? at his waist. What was he planning to do? Playing them to death?

"Wei Ying." and how had they forgotten that Wangji was there and that this was his fault?!

Strange guy's eyes flickered briefly, his eyes switching from blood red to gray then back to red again. Huh?

"Wei Ying," Wangji said again and how was he still calmly sitting!? "Wei Ying I am here."

And the red melted from Strange guy's eyes like a pair of ice cubes exposed to heat to reveal brilliant silver gray eyes. "Lan Zhan!" He whirled around violently and in a flurry black robes went to Wangji, strangely making it look like, to Sam, an excited moth that had spotted a bright light.

He looked like, for a moment, he'd fling himself at Wangji but managed to stop himself at the last minute and merely put the pads of his fingers on Wangji's cheek so very gently. 

What ensued was a mostly one-sided conversation, featuring minute nods and shakes of the head from Wangji, that they didn't get since it was in ancient Chinese. Sam and the rest, were quite rightly, shocked.

Strange guy suddenly stood, made an elaborate gesture with his hands much like the one Wangji had made when they'd first met and bowed in a salute, "Hello, I'm Wei Ying courtesy Wuxian from the Yunmeng Jiang Clan, it's nice to meet you all," he said with a bright smile, "Lan Zhan has just told me --"

Well that was anticlimactic. 

Loki stepped forward, his scepter still glowing faintly, "Are you demon?" he asked.

Wuxian smiled with far too many teeth, "Why do you ask?" 

Loki turned to Wangji, his face shifting partway and to Sam, seeing Loki like that always felt like a lightning strike to his senses; those wide unblinking snake eyes, sharp fangs, and a forked tongue were nightmare fodder is what they were. 

"He is harmless," Wangji said and Wuxian turned to him incredulously. 

Loki nodded sagely as if it all made sense to him. 

"He isss harmlesss," he hissed his flickering tongue tasting the air around Wuxian. 

"He is?" Stark enquired from behind Bucky where he had to rise on his tippy toes to make himself visible. 

They all turned to Thor, which was quite reasonable really, Loki was a _god of mischief and deceit_ after all. Thor in turn, turned to Loki, and Loki true to his form, rolled his snake eyes. 

"Wangji hasss the whitessst, puressst aura I have ever ssseen on a living being, if he sssaysss Wuxian isss harmless I believe him, he would not lie." 

"I believe my brother would not purposely cause mayhem regarding this matter," Thor boomed, "he may be mischievous but he is honorable." 

A ripple of relief went through them simultaneously. 

Loki stomped over to his brother and pulled on his ear to drag him down to his height, "Do not sssay sssuch thingsss out loud for people to hear, I have a reputation to maintain." And Thor was dragged away, his pleads for mercy echoing after them. 

They'd all slumped down onto the floor pillows that dotted the entire living area (and Sam swore he'd developed a permanent cramp in his leg with all the contortions he was putting his body through to fit on those pillows) and Stark had started interrogating Wuxian about space-time or whatever when JARVIS informed them of Steve's incoming call. 

"Stevie?" Bucky asked. 

"Is everything okay back there?" Steve asked and he was slightly out of breath, "JARVIS told me--" and what he said next was lost in the rat-a-tat of gunfire. 

"Everything is under control here, Captain, would you focus on the mission please? I would hate to have to come to clean up your corpse, I just had my nails done." 

Steve laughed, "Yes yes okay," and they heard the pinging of his shield from far away. There was yelling in Russian and sounded it very close, Steve cursed. "Tony?" 

"Please don't die," Stark said. 

"I won't," and it sounded as if he'd started running, "I'll make sure to come back just for you." 

"You owe me a huge one, Rogers," Sam told him. 

And JARVIS cut the line on Steve's pearlescent laughter. 

"Who was that?" Wuxian asked as he lounged against Wangji. 

"Sect Leader Rogers of the Avengers Sect," Wangji answered him. 

"He's on a mission," Clint said as he creeped closer to the low table. Sam didn't like the glint in his eye. 

"He's been gone almost a week," Sam contributed as he went to drag Clint back by the collar. 

Clint pouted at him sorrowfully. 

"I just want to ask him something," he wailed too loudly, Sam wondered if his hearing aids were malfunctioning. 

Bruce, Tony and JARVIS were discussing spacetime continuum and quantum physics and Einstein's theory of relativity, Sam's head hurt just listening to them. 

"We were supposed to go out with Wangji later," Clint explained, "and I'm sure he'd like to bring Wuxian too. So he has to look like he's not from a costume drama set." 

Nat and Bucky were braiding each other's hair on the couch and Sam wondered who'd decided that the responsibility of orienting travellers from the past was Clint's. 

Wuxian was remarkably different from Wangji, his eyes glittered curiously as he took in his surroundings, when he spoke his hands flailed everywhere, his face made a myriad of of expressions that surprised even Sam, and when he did sit he wasn't still; he just lounged around the place. He seemed like he would have an energy to match Clint's. Sam wanted to see how they would get along. 

Sam followed Clint over to the table, Wangji poured them tea. 

"Hi, I'm Clint, this is Sam," Clint jabbed a thumb in his direction, "so what do you say we get you dressed like my good friend here?" he gestured at Wangji using his eyebrows. 

Wuxian cocked a brow, "Your good friend?" 

Clint nodded vigorously. 

"Aiyah! Lan Zhan you're making good friends in the future without me?" Wuxian grinned widely, "how unLan Zhan of you!" 

"Ridiculous." 

"Ah! Lan Zhan! A few days in the future haven't changed you?" he laughed merrily as if being called ridiculous was a great joy. Sam couldn't relate. 

"I thought we would be at at least two words per sentence!" 

"Very ridiculous." 

Wuxian squealed with laughter almost rolling on the ground in his mirth. 

Was this a brand of flirting they were unfamiliar with? Clint and Sam looked at each other. 

Finally, with a confused look on his face, Clint pushed his Starkpad over to Wuxian. His silver gray eyes opened wide, "What's this?" he flipped the gadget over then looked around the room, "does everyone have one? I want one too!" 

"JARVIS, he wants one," Stark said even as his fingers flew over the hologram before him. 

"On it, Sir." 

"The house speaks! Lan Zhan, they have talking houses in the future!" 

"Mn." 

"Hello, I'm JARVIS," The AI introduced itself. 

"JARVIS huh, where are you?" he asked while cranking his neck to see everywhere around him. 

"I am everywhere," JARVIS answered. 

"Like a god?" Wuxian asked while rubbing the bridge of his nose with a fingertip. 

"Not really," JARVIS said, "what would you like me to address you as Sir?" 

"I get to choose what you call me?" he smirked. 

"Wei Ying," Wangji warned. 

"I know, I know, nothing too explicit," he winked at Wangji. 

Wangji looked sharply away. 

"You can call me... Aha! Call me Yiling Laozu!" he raised a finger in the air. 

"Very well, Yiling Laozu." JARVIS intoned obediently. 

"And did Lan Zhan tell you what to call him?" Wuxian asked the ceiling. 

"He did not, Yiling Laozu." 

Wuxian grinned deviously, "Call him Hanguangjun!" 

"Very well, Yiling Laozu." 

"Wei Ying," Wangji called sternly. 

Wuxian leaned over to him and batted his eyelashes at Wangji, "You're not angry, are you, Lan-er-gege," he pouted, "Xianxian is only three," he lifted two fingers, "he can't take Hanguangjun's punishment." 

Wuxian might just be worse than Clint, Sam thought. 

"Shameless!" and Wangji's cup might crack with how hard he was gripping it. 

"Please pick what you like," Clint almost screamed as he waved his Starkpad in Wuxian's face to get his attention. 

Wuxian scrunched his face at the page he was shown. He folded his hands across his chest and his bottom lip jutted forward petulantly. 

He looked at Nat, curled up on the couch with Bucky. 

"I want one like hers," he said. 

Nat was in... Well, she was in short shorts. 


	8. Chapter 8

Lan Wangji promptly woke up at five am, as he always did. He stayed in bed for a minute as his body woke up along with his mind, as he always did. He turned around only to come face to face with Wei Ying's serene sleeping face, which... _which he'd never done._ Lan Wangji vaulted into a sitting position, this wasn't good.

Lan Wangji dared not pull the covers further lest he uncovered Wei Ying, it certainly was not because Wei Ying was practically naked under there, no siree, nor was it because Wei Ying's tiny night shirt had probably ridden to above his waistline as he moved around in his sleep. No, the mornings were just cooler these days.

Whose brilliant idea had it been to room him together with Wei Ying? Who agreed to it? And why had Lan Wangji been left out in the decision making process? He felt as if such a decision should have involved him, he was already in incomparable pain, did they have to amplify it?

Lan Wangji remembered perfectly in startling detail about yesterday's goings-on. 

_"Lan Zhan Lan Zhan, look at me," Wei Ying yelled, his lips stretched in his ever-present smile and eyes sparkling in his excitement, by Guanyin, he glowed._   


_He skidded to a not so graceful stop just out of Lan Wangji's reach, and the latter, weak as he was (always has and always will be) to Wei Ying's charm; especially when he called out for him excitedly like that, as if he'd found something he really couldn't wait to show Lan Wangji, looked up... And almost went into qi deviation._

_Were Wei Ying's legs really that long? They went on for forever and Lan Wangji wanted to touch, to feel if the skin of Wei Ying's thighs was as soft as it looked._

_Wei Ying did a little twirl, as if he was showing off purposely for Lan Wangji, "What do you think, Lan-er-gege hm?"_

_Lan Wangji stared at all the naked skin in front of him, barely believing that he could actually see past the point of Wei Ying's mid thigh. His black shorts contrasted sharply against the paleness of his thighs, not pale enough for look like Lan Wangji's, but enough to make him want to know how they would look like pressed together skin to skin._

_Lan Wangji was aware of the blush leaking into his earlobes, but he could not make himself stop. Wei Ying looked so good like that, with his tiny black shorts and too big red sweater and his usually unruly hair tamed in artificially created loose springy curls, Lan Wangji wanted to devour him._

_Wei Ying leaned into his space, not quite touching him, he never did, and fluttered his lashes. Lan Wangji did not think he had any business looking as inviting as he did in that moment, "Doesn't Hanguangjun think I'm pretty?" And his eyes formed delighted crescents as he erupted in truly intoxicating peals of laughter, "What? Cat got your tongue?" his bright grin was still in place, still teasing, "not even one 'shameless'?"_

_Lan Wangji was sure he would cough up blood if he opened his mouth._

_He kept it firmly shut._

_Lan Wangji was quite sure Wei Ying was breaking several hundred Gusu Lan rules at once, he found he did not really mind and this was not Gusu. Anything for Wei Ying to keep smiling at him like that._

_Someone spoke beside Lan Wangji, "I think you broke him."_

_Lan Wangji hadn't registered their presence at all._

_"Nah," Wei Ying chuckled, "he's just too shy to admit he thinks I look good in my new clothes," he winked at Lan Wangji._

_Lan Wangji felt like he would spontaneously combust._

Lan Wangji needed to practice his sword forms and meditate, not the mild meditative sleep he'd done for the past few days, the Avengers Sect being generally too loud to allow for _proper_ meditation to strengthen his core and calm his mind. 

He put on the leggings made of a stretchy material Miss Romanov had brought to him and had explained were good for whatever stretchy exercise Lan Wangji could do, a white Tshirt and his folded away inner robe from his hanfu (Lan Wangji's face was certainly not thick enough to allow him to parade around almost naked) over them. Then headed to the gym downstairs. 

He worked long and hard, noting how the future's environment held little to no magic, making him try that harder to accomplish what would have been a piece of cake back home. He settled into the Lotus Position to meditate, trying to make most of the quiet early morning. 

By the time Lan Wangji had woken up from his meditative trance, the sun had already began its journey across the sky. It was probably 10am, he'd gone deep. 

Lan Wangji noticed the lack of disturbance though he knew most of the Avengers Sect members liked to spar in the mornings, he probably had Master JARVIS for that. 

"Thank you, Master JARVIS." 

"My pleasure, Hanguangjun." 

Lan Wangji was glad he didn't have to explain why he was grateful. 

Though the elevator dinged when he got off, the rest didn't really pay him any attention, which he was really thankful for. He did not think he could face someone dressed as he was. 

As he passing by, he heard Young Master Leufeyson speaking. 

_Participating in and propagating gossip is_ _prohibited_. Lan Wangji slowed down anyway. 

"Harvesting resentful energy is surprisingly easy," Young Master Leufeyson was saying and Lan Wangji's heart was suddenly beating racehorse fast in his chest. _No_! 

"I mean especially over large office buildings like the one we're currently on," Young Master Leufeyson continued nonchalantly. 

"Are you saying that I mistreat my employees?!" Young Master Stark demanded angrily, but Lan Wangji did not stay to hear the last of it. Already near sprinting to his and Wei Ying's shared rooms. 

Wei Ying was perfectly fine when Lan Wangji almost burst into the room, just sitted at the low table gnawing at a writing brush. 

There was an ink pot on the table, it held red ink, Lan Wangji blinked. Wei Ying was squeezing a bleeding hand into the ink pot, slowly bleeding in the half empty ink pot with a steady drip-drip-drip sound that nauseated Lan Wangji. 

"We Ying-" 

"Lan Zhan did you know, the resentful energy in this century is quite different from ours?" he stretched out his hand before curling it back in a fist and squeezed some drops of blood into the ink pot, "they have so much resentment; a broad-spectrum kind of resentful energy, suppressed though." 

He shifted to pour unused talismans on the table before him. 

"It's so much, I could have won the war at Never Night with just what's beneath us," Wei Ying finally lifted his eyes up to look at Lan Wangji. 

Lan Wangji made to sit next to him, but Wei Ying tilted his head at him and Lan Wangji could see the faintest hint of red in his eyes. Lan Wangji stopped. 

" I could control all creatures with just a higher composition of yin energy in their bodies, not just corpses and so easily too." 

Lan Wangji panicked. Was he too late? Would he be able stop Wei Ying? He did not even know what Wei Ying was doing, but was it worth it? Could it compare to the cost it would incur on Wei Ying? He had to try. 

" Wei Ying, please stop, Demonic Cultivation -" 

"Damages my body and soul and harms my temperament," Wei Ying interrupted, "yeah, I heard you say it so many times I memorized it." 

Lan Wangji wasn't trying to be cruel, he knew Wei Ying did not like it when Lan Wangji acted like he knew what was best for Wei Ying better than Wei Ying. It really wasn't what he was implying, but he did not have the words to explain. 

He watched as Wei Ying wiped his cut hand on his bathrobe (Lan Wangji's pale blue one) and began drawing on the talisman papers using his blood. Lan Wangji wanted to cry. 

"Wei Ying, I really don't -" 

"Last I saw Zewu Jun, Lan Zhan," Wei Ying said impatiently as he shook out his drawn on talismans to dry, the ink pot was almost empty, "getting him to eat his food was an actual chore," Wei Ying looked up and his eyes were an irridescent red, "sorry if my need to inform him that his baby brother is alright doesn't please you." 

Lan Wangji staggered. 

"Write something for your brother," Wei Ying breathed, "make sure he'll know it's from you. Keep it short though," he just sounded exhausted now. And Lan Wangji was _so_ _sorry_ to have bothered him. 

Lan Wangji sat down and obediently did as directed, meanwhile Wei Ying drew an array on the floor of their living room space. The stench of blood was overwhelming. Lan Wangji wondered if he could offer his own. 

Lan Wangji folded his piece of paper neatly and set it next to Chenching, 

"Wei Yi-" 

Wei Ying suddenly had the Stygian Tiger Amulet floating on his palm, nonexistent wind blowing in his hair, there was a murder of crows outside turning the clear glass dark and cutting off the sunlight.

"Please leave, Lan Zhan, I need to focus and you're not helping." 

_  
_


	9. Chapter 9

Wei Ying was avoiding him. 

Lan Wangji didn't have to have any special skills to figure that out, except that one time when he'd staggered out of their room exhausted and dried blood caked to his chin and cheeks to inform Lan Wangji that yes his message had gone through but was sorry that he could not get a reply for him, Lan Wangji had not spoken to Wei Ying.

Their sleeping schedules were different enough that Wei Ying didn't have to put any effort into making it seem like he wasn't avoiding Lan Wangji. Lan Wangji had tried, he'd tried staying up to wait for Wei Ying but the Lan sleeping schedule was too ingrained into him and he always fell asleep less than an hour past curfew.

Lan Wangji had tried to wait for him after he'd woken up but Wei Ying was cunning and exceedingly slippery when he wanted to be, and Lan Wangji was left with hurt and disappointment weighing heavy in his chest. 

Wei Ying was _everywhere_... and _nowhere_ at the same time. 

Lan Wangji couldn't get hold of him, and it wasn't for lack of trying. He knew that he'd not done right by Wei Ying. Neither now nor in the past. Wei Ying was a _grown_ _man_ , he knew what he was doing and didn't need Lan Wangji to tell him what to do and what not to. Especially if he knew full well the repercussions of his actions (even if he had not known, Lan Wangji had thoroughly made sure he knew. Lan Wangji wasn't proud). 

Wei Ying was down in the shooting range with Young Master Barton, Young Master Wilson informed him. Lan Wangji hadn't asked. 

"He's surprisingly good with a bow and arrow," he said as he plopped down next to him with a bag of chips. 

Lan Wangji resisted the urge to tell him that no, it was not surprising _at all_ considering Wei Ying was ranked number three among the five Young Masters in their generation that were good in the six arts. 

"Here have some," Young Master Wilson offered the garishly coloured bag. 

_Snacking in between meals is prohibited_. Lan Wangji picked a couple anyway. 

Next he heard of Wei Ying, Young Master Barton came barging into his and Wei Ying's shared rooms carrying boxes of what he called pizza. He put one down in front of Lan Wangji and settled down with his own, tearing into melted cheese and chicken and mushrooms with much gusto. 

"Wuxian is in Tony's workshop," he said around a mouthful of pizza, Lan Wangji didn't admonish him for it, "he fixed a car engine without actually _knowing_ what it was. Truly amazing since you guys come from an Era that hasn't even invented wagons yet." 

Lan Wangji did not sigh despondently as he opened his box and took out a slice. He was grateful Young Master Barton took into account his vegetarian nature as he ordered. With all the emotional strain of this past three days, he bit into his pizza topped with peanuts and artichoke thankfully. 

"Wuxian is out with Tasha on a manipedi date," Young Master Barnes said later in the day as he fell comfortably into step with Lan Wangji. 

Why did they feel the need to inform him of Wei Ying's whereabouts? 

And Wei Ying was going on dates now? The thought made something shrivel up in his chest. 

"What is 'manipedi'?" Lan Wangji asked as he changed trajectory, he'd originally been headed to the common floor but since he had company, might as well go for a stroll outside. His companion didn't seem to mind. 

"Hm?" Young Master Barnes hummed as he tied his braided hair up using the hair band that had been on his wrist, "just a thing girls do where they get the nails on their fingers and toes done and gossip about boys." 

Nails done? Lan Wangji wracked his brain for where he'd heard the unfamiliar phrase. And _oh_ , the time Miss Romanov had been telling Sect Leader Rogers about having had her nails recently done they'd been painted a pretty peach colour. 

_Wei Ying is having his nails painted_? 

"Why don't you ever do anything with your hair?" Young Master Barnes inquired, apropos to nothing, successfully distracting him from his train of thought and where it would have led him to a truly magnificent crash. 

Lan Wangji supposed it was small talk, to fill in the blank spaces between them as they walked around without purpose, but the way his companion shot a look at him suggested he was genuinely curious. 

"Keeping our hair long is tradition not just preference," Lan Wangji looked at Young Master Barnes' long hair as if in example, "and braiding hair is not a thing the clan I am from does." 

_Being vain and overly invested in one's_ _appearance is prohibited_ , Lan Wangji did not say. 

"So there are other clans that do it?" 

"Mn." 

"I could do it for you, we're not in... How'd you call it? Gusu you know," Young Master Barnes eyed his waist length hair, "or you could let Tasha do it." 

Lan Wangji eyed him suspiciously, "Why?" 

Young Master Barnes shrugged, "No reason really, it just seemed such a shame to have such length and not play around with it." 

Lan Wangji was mulling over the proposition when he was grabbed suddenly by the wrist. 

"You ever had cookie dough ice-cream?" 

What? 

"Here," a cone was pressed into his hand, Lan Wangji eyed the fluffy cream at the top of it and was pretty sure it was made from milk, "Cookie dough is the best flavour there is and don't let Stevie tell you otherwise." 

Lan Wangji stared at his ice-cream, he could not eat it but on the other hand he didn't want to seem rude, so he was torn between just eating it and telling Young Master Barnes that he did not want it. 

"What?" his host asked midlick. 

Lan Wangji just stared at his ice-cream. 

"It's made of almond milk, relax. I'm lactose intolerant and I didn't take my meds so..." 

It was evening when they got back to the tower and Lan Wangji had been convinced to have his hair braided. 

His hair was almost done when Young Master Stark found them in Sect Leader Rogers and Young Master Barnes' shared rooms. 

"Ah! There you are!" he exclaimed as he came into the room with a glass of something green in his hand. 

His eyes trailed up to Young Master Barnes behind him before dropping down bashfully.

He focused on Lan Wangji again, "My baby made this," he proffered the drink, "and it's too much I can't finish all of it." 

Lan Wangji accepted the glass cautiously. 

"Its a green smoothie, I promise, I could give you the list of ingredients if you like." 

Lan Wangji took a careful sip. It was surprisingly tasty. 

He felt Young Master Barnes securing his hair and was glad to be leaving soon, the tension in the room was thick enough to cut through with a string of his Qin. 

"Wuxian and Nat arrived a while ago," he reported still looking nervous, "she's looking for you." 

Lan Wangji got up to leave after thanking them both, carrying his green smoothie with him. 

Young Master Stark made to follow him but was interrupted by Young Master Barnes', 

"Stay with me with me a minute, doll." 

Lan Wangji could not get away fast enough. 

He found Miss Romanov seated at his table in the common floor. Wei Ying was nowhere to be seen, Lan Wangji tried not to let his disappointment show. 

"Hello, Wangji," she greeted and as Lan Wangji sat down he couldn't help but notice that her finger nails were a delicate lavender hue. 

"Miss Romanov." 

"Your taste buds must be made of cold iron if you can take that with such a blank face," she nodded at his drink. It was more than halfway gone. 

Lan Wangji felt insulted. 

"It is tasty." 

"Of course it is," she said with a fond smile, "your hair looks good. Bucky?" 

Lan Wangji nodded nodded shyly, a little pleased. 

"You fought with Wuxian." It wasn't a question so Lan Wangji didn't answer. 

"He's been miserable this past few days, you know," she tucked her flaming red hair behind her ear, "he thinks he wronged you in some unforgivable way." 

Lan Wangji looked up from where he was trying to drown himself in his quarter glass of smoothie, that wasn't at all what had happened. 

And how did she know? 

The question must have been written all over his face because she chuckled, a deep throaty sound, that was pleasant to the ears. 

"You're all he ever talks about, you know," and her smile has turned into a smirk, "Lan Zhan this Lan Zhan that all day every day." She shook her head, "and his older sister who I'm half inclined to believe is an actual angel." 

"He's avoiding me," Lan Wangji said against his better judgment. 

"And so?" and she looked so incredulous Lan Wangji felt stupid for having that as a problem. 

She sighed heavily as she stood up, as if this conversation was draining her of all her patience. 

"Wangji, Wuxian strikes me as the type to be lured not cornered." 

Miss Romanov swept away in a train of her too long dress that was so utterly see through that Lan Wangji wondered the actual _purpose_ of it. 

He finished his smoothie in deep thought. To _lure_ Wei Ying... What did he like? 

For someone who spoke as much as Wei Ying did, he said surprisingly little about _himself_. He loved pretty girls though, Lan Wangji knew as much and Gusu's Emperors smile and... His sister's lotus root and pork rib soup. 

Lan Wangji didn't know about the first two, but maybe he could try making the soup? 

The common floor was uncommonly devoid of people, and Lan Wangji supposed that everyone was just busy, which he was grateful for. 

He headed to the kitchen, it was still as scary as the first time he'd gone in there. There was a machine for literally everything and it was daunting to think about actually using them. The fridge even had a screen that was playing videos, Lan Wangji just thought that was a hazard, a disaster waiting to happen. 

"If I may be of some assistance, HanguangJun?" Master JARVIS asked in his cool electronic voice. 

Lan Wangji hesitated, the thought of asking... Admittedly, JARVIS was not a person, he _was_ someone though. Lan Wangji steeled himself. Young Master Stark _had_ said to ask JARVIS whatever. 

"I'd like to make lotus root and pork rib soup for Wei Ying, but I don't know how to." 

"I'm sure the Yiling Laozu will appreciate your effort." 

Lan Wangji sighed. 

"Currently, I do not believe we have the ingredients to make the soup at hand, I could order them and inform you of their arrival?" 

"Yes please." 

"Any special recipes you would like me to look up?" 

"The spicier the better," Lan Wangji said and tried not to feel to awkward talking to thin air. 

"Would you like me to read you step-by-step instructions as you prepare it?" 

"Please, and thank you." 

"Happy to help, HanguangJun." 

Tomorrow, Lan Wangji will try his hardest to win back Wei Ying's favour with his nonexistent culinary skills. 

Guanyin help him. 


	10. Chapter 10

Tony, in his engineering fueled stupor, failed to hear the door to his workshop hiss open and someone come in. He was confident with what he had done with the time machine thus far, Wangji and Wuxian would be able to go home soon, hopefully. Speaking of wangxian (the portmanteau was Clint's idea, not his, he had class) he really hoped they would make up soon; their cold war was not conducive for superhuman habitation.

"J, any feedback on the beta testing program for the prosthetics?" he asked as he welded the mini arc reactor for the time machine into place.

"Yes, Sir, feedback from Mister Smith," there was a beeping sound signaling the beginning of a message, "Hello, Mr. Stark, I'd like to suggest that the prosthetics' voice recognition be specific to just one voice," the electronic voice recited, "it's not convenient to have my leg listen to any and all commands within hearing distance. Every thing else is perfect, works like a dream. Thank you again, Mr. Stark," another beep.

"Huh," Tony breathed, "I hadn't even thought of that," he pouted a little, "J, add that to my to do list would you?"

Tony put away his welding torch and searched around for a wench, it was a little too far to reach even if he stretched the furthest he could go. He sighed, 

"Dum E, be a darling and fetch daddy that wench on the counter top."

DUM E whirred as he hurried to complete his order, utterly messing things up and breaking fragile glass as he searched around clumsily with his claw. Tony had half a mind to go there and smack him upside the head when DUM E eventually found it and brought it over whilst beeping excitedly.

Tony, despite himself, smiled, "yes, you're a good boy," he said while patting the 'bot's claw.

His eyes trailed over the disaster DUM E had created, "Go get butterfingers to help you clean that up," Tony avoided expressly stating that it had in fact been DUM E' s mess so as not to hurt the 'bot's metaphorical feelings. DUM E rolled over to the charging station and Tony watched him go fondly.

"You refer to yourself as daddy when talking to your bots, huh?"

Tony shrieked and flailed wildly as he turned around, so badly startled by the voice speaking from so close behind him. Bucky dodged his wench wielding hand and put his hands on Tony's shoulders to calm him down.

"Sorry," he smiled apologetically, "didn't mean to scare you."

"Well you did," Tony said pouting, as he put a hand over his heart, glad that he could pretend that his accelerated heart rate was due to the shock.

"How long have you been down here, Tony?"

Tony stepped back, suddenly self conscious about the fact that it'd been _days_ since he so much as touched water that wasn't for drinking purposes.

"Uh... A few hours?" Tony didn't really know, he didn't keep track of such things.

"JARVIS, how long has Tony been here?" Bucky asked while still staring at Tony.

"Sergeant Barnes, upto this second, Sir has spent, cumulatively 79 hours, 36 minutes and --"

"JARVIS shut up!"

Bucky tilted his head at him, his scary eyes assessing him critically. Tony gulped involuntarily and turned around, "J, save all progress to present."

"Stevie was worried about you, you know," Bucky stepped closer, Tony could _feel_ his heat in an unbroken line from his shoulders to the backs of his knees, "he even thought you were out on a SI business trip."

If Tony moved forward, he would be trapped in between the counter and Bucky, which wasn't bad at all, but still. He stayed put. 

"You haven't rested at all, have you?" Bucky's breath was warm against the side of his face, "have you at least eaten something?" Tony was unable to answer.

If Tony moved back a bit, Bucky would be hugging him from behind, which was quite enticing, but still... _What about Steve?_ He stayed put.

"Lucky for you, Stevie's bringing lunch, he said he's making Italian," he said with a smile, "to appeal to your tastes or something." 

Right on cue, as if summoned by Bucky's talking about him, Steve entered the workshop carrying a pretty pink lunchbox with baby blue butterflies drawings on it. Seeing Steve with it was strangely adorable. 

"Oh my God, Tony!" he exclaimed, "what happened? You look terrible." 

Tony raised an eyebrow, "thanks, Steve." 

"That's not..." he sputtered, "that's really not what I meant!" 

Steve came closer to where him and Bucky were almost cuddling (he didn't seem to mind much) and ruffled Bucky's hair, "hey, love." 

"M good," Bucky hummed, "Tony's not though." 

Steve tilted his head much like Bucky had done and Tony wondered, completely irrelevantly, whose behaviour it had been originally before it was imitated by the other. 

"JARVIS?" Steve called, Tony wanted to cry. 

"Tony told JARVIS to shut up," Bucky, the tattle tale, reported. 

Steve signed. 

"Override instruction JARVIS shut up, protocol 65E18V code CAPTAIN AMERICA." 

"Instruction JARVIS shut up, overridden." 

"You know, I kinda regret giving you override codes for literally everything," Tony grumbled. (pure lies, but they don't know that) 

Steve didn't even spare him a glance.

"JARVIS?" 

Was this how betrayal felt? That Steve didn't even have to ask the question for JARVIS to answer as if he'd asked with specifications? 

"Sir was fine the first hours, but then at 0537 hours yesterday, his hands had acquired minute tremors and my scanners could detect that his heart rate was higher by 20%, and his breathing was a little har--" 

"JARVIS, please," Tony interrupted and the AI, mercifully, stopped. 

He felt Bucky shake his head where it was nestled beside him... wait how did it happen that Bucky was hugging him? 

"Let's go have a seat, shall we? I made pasta carbonara," he lifted the lunchbox and wiggled it as if Tony needed convincing. 

"I'm sorry I didn't bring you a share, Bucky," Steve said as they settled down on the couch in the corner of the workshop, with Tony between them like a supersoldier sandwich, "you said you wanted to freshen up first in your text." 

Tony, shocked, actually looked at Bucky, and he was indeed still in his shield issue (Stark modified, but don't tell Fury that) Kevlar suit. Bucky had gone on a mission? How long ago? And why did Tony not know? 

"No worries," Bucky said flippantly. 

"Your poor little feet," Bucky began as he lifted Tony's feet from the floor and onto his lap, "must be tired for standing for days on end with no actual rest," he began taking off Tony's shoes. 

With his center of balance disturbed, Tony flailed around briefly before being arranged on the couch with absolutely _no_ input from his person. Yeah super strength. Steve ended up sitting sideways so the armrest was at his back with Tony cradled between his spread legs, his back on Steve's, quite frankly, heavily muscled chest. 

His mind was in such disarray, he forgot to worry about his feet probably stinking like something that had died because of how long he had been in those same shoes and socks for _decades_. The way Bucky was massaging his feet felt so good though, he wasn't being bothered right? 

Tony had been _fine_ before the supersoldiers came to him, he could have gone on for days more, he knew. But now that he'd sat down and had the scent of evidently delicious food that reminded him of his mother before she'd decided living wasn't worth it wafting into his nose, his strength suddenly left him and he felt the exhaustion of the last few days crashing into him all at once. 

His hand trembled slightly and just holding the fork steady took all his concentration. He didn't know if he'd be able to --

"Here, let me," Steve gently extricated the fork from Tony's unresisting hands and began to feed him. 

A man could get used to this. 

He knew, with that part of his brain that was always cautious and on edge, that Bucky _could_ crush his foot with a slightly firmer press of his metal fingers, but Bucky _wouldn't_. He trusted Bucky with his _life_ on the field, what's a foot in comparison? 

Tony kept opening his mouth, rhythmically, to be fed. Steve had outdone himself this time, the pasta carbonara had actual pig jowls in it instead of the more commonly used bacon. Tony was impressed. 

"Tastes good, Steve," Tony murmured, already drowsy where he lay against Steve. 

"Thank you, Tony," and Tony could _hear_ the smile in his voice, "have some more." 

"Stevie managing to impress your sophisticated Italian tastes? Bucky asked with a sly smirk 

Tony ducked his head with a shy nod. Steve cooed at him as if he were an adorable puppy. Tony felt indignant even as a syrupy sweet feeling filled his chest like magma. 

He was content to just sit there and be pampered as Steve and Bucky talked over him, _about_ him in that way they had that didn't make him feel objectified and that he could chip in whenever since the conversation was, in fact, about him. 

"I spoke to Miss Potts earlier," Steve was saying as he rubbed a soothing hand over Tony's tummy, " she said that Tony has just two pending projects to complete this month." 

"If I may, Captain, Sergeant," JARVIS said. 

"Yes, JARVIS?" 

"Technically, Sir has three pending projects, one of which is already in the beta testing phase." 

A hologram blinked to life in front of them, showing in 3D the design of Tony's brand new energy saving, pollution free, cost effective car engine. 

"I can say with utmost confidence that the design of the new Stark drive model VI is complete." JARVIS said, as if boasting. 

"Does Tony have to actually build that thing?" Bucky asked, "I mean, he already created it. What's the work of the engineers in SI?" 

"Yeah, are they not competent enough?" Steve asked, and this time it was directed at Tony. 

"I just like doing it myself," Tony shrugged, cuddling deeper into Steve. 

Steve sighed. 

"The third?" Bucky asked. 

"The new Stark T11 Starkphone model, Sir says it's easy so he hasn't started on it yet." 

Tony groaned, "J, can you not?" 

"Apologies, Sir." 

"Miss Potts also said that there are some meetings on Wednesday and Friday, a video conference too but that's next week, Miss Potts agreed to let you skip those. Except the video conference that is." 

"Pep's discussed my schedule with you?" Tony asked sleepily. 

"I hope I wasn't too forward," and Steve sounded nervous now, "it's just so we can take better care of you." 

"It's okay," Tony patted Steve's beefy bicep, "and you do plenty, Steve." 

"Oh," Steve chuckled and it rumbled through his chest to Tony, "it doesn't feel like it but thank you, Tony." 

And Tony slipped into slumber with the comfort and conversation washing over him, interrupted only when Bucky woke him up to get him to take a glass of water. 

〰️〰️

Tony wasn't nearly as well rested as he thought he'd be after waking up. It felt like all he'd gotten was just a trailer of the upcoming movie that was sleep. 

He was comfortable though, he felt nice and warm, and so utterly secure and protected that he fancied never leaving Steve's embrace, because this _was_ Steve he was laid out on. No one else could induce that warm secure feeling in Tony, not even Bucky. 

He tried to regulate his breathing so as not to alert Steve that he was awake, snuggling closer so that his face was nestled more securely against Steve's neck. 

There were footsteps, Bucky's Tony could tell. He'd spent so much time watching Bucky walk he could tell Bucky's footfalls anywhere; silent or not. 

There was a wet smacking sound above him, and Tony blushed furiously at the thought of them kissing right above him. 

Bucky's fingers brushed his hair, "He slept for long. He awake yet?" 

"He's having fun pretending that he isn't," Steve answered, amused. 

Tony turned so he was facing Bucky with an embarrassed flush to his cheeks. 

"Steve's comfortable, alright?" 

Bucky pinched his cheek, supremely endeared, "he is, isn't he?" 

"How about we get you to a real bed, hm?" Bucky asked gently, "it's already late. I could get you more of that carbonara stuff if you want it, Steve made lots." 

Tony shook his head at the suggestion of Foo. It _had_ been delicious, but he wasn't hungry. 

Tony mourned the loss of his personal bed as he got up, he walked to the private elevator in his workshop that went direct to his penthouse dejectedly, this like all good things must and will come to an end. Bucky probably wanted Steve to himself now, what with Steve being away almost a week then Bucky going away almost immediately after Steve got back. 

So he was badly startled for the second time in the day when he saw the supersoldiers entering the car with him. 

"Don't look so surprised, doll, we wouldn't let you go alone as unsteady on your feet as you are," Bucky laughed as he pulled Tony to lean on him as they started to move. 

Surprising absolutely no one, Tony fell asleep again. 

The next time he was jerked harshly back to reality, he was being submerged in water. Tony didn't quite panic, but it was a close. 

"Sir, the good Captain and Sergeant thought it would help you rest better if you didn't have three days worth of dirt on you. I didn't think - --" 

"It's fine, J, just surprised me is all," Tony reassured sagging into Steve's hold. Steve was okay. Steve wouldn't try and waterboard him while he was asleep. Steve wouldn't try and drown him. 

"Can I wash your hair?" Steve tentatively asked, "I won't let any water touch your face, I promise." 

Tony nodded. Steve was safe. 

Tony was mostly asleep for 90% of his bath time, but the little time he _was_ awake, Steve was careful and so very respectful. ~~Tony~~ ~~almost wished he wasn't.~~ Tony was grateful. 

Tony was a grown man for fuck's sake, he'd been proving that he was and hadn't let anyone think otherwise since he was sixteen. So why exactly was he letting these _men_ bath him, guide him to brush his teeth and even dress him for bed? He was pathetic that's what. 

He was in his pastel yellow sheer and lace pajamas (that Rhodey had bought last year for his birthday as a joke, Tony's taste was not as garish, just so you know), they clashed severely with his crimson themed four poster bed, as he was tucked in bed. 

Steve and Bucky looked so beautiful, so kind as they looked at him with gentle gazes. Tony didn't want to question why they were being so nice to him, why they were --

"Sleep well, Tony." 

Tony panicked, please no... It couldn't be over. Not yet. 

His hand shot out and grabbed the nearest thing he could touch, which just so happened to be Bucky's metal fingers. 

Later, Tony would blame the exhaustion. Later, Tony would blame the high of being the center of attention of the two supersoldiers. Later, Tony would blame Bucky's lingering fingers as if he didn't quite want to leave. Later, Tony would attach the blame on literally whatever. 

Now though... Now he said

"Please don't leave?" 


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd (for a brief moment) completely forgotten about this... I blame The Sleuth of The Ming Dynasty.
> 
> Anyways, enjoy 💜

Natasha sat opposite a sulking Wangji and sipped her white jasmine scented tea, and yes Wangji _was_ sulking. She didn't try to hide the fact that she was scrutinizing him, and Wangji for his part was either far too busy brooding to notice her doing it or didn't care enough to ask her to stop.

Everyone who'd met Wangji said he was expressionless at best and standoffish at worst, but no he wasn't, not really. Speaking from the point of view of someone who'd built their entire career purely around their ability to maintain an unyielding poker face even under duress, Wangji was surprisingly easy to read. One just had to know _where_ to look; the barest crease between his brows, the slight tightening of his mouth, the slow deliberate clench of his hands, the hard to notice jump of his jaw.... It was all there, broad as daylight for all to see.

"It's really not that bad," Natasha tried to comfort. 

Wangji turned to her with a face that very clearly said 'are you fucking with me right now?' and Natasha resisted the urge to burst into laughter. She was a good friend. 

"I mean, except for the half spoon he gave me and Clint to share, he ate it all to the very last drop. That's got to say something, right?" 

Wangji stared at her in disbelief, "Wei Ying finished all of it?" 

Yes, Wuxian had. Natasha could understand Wangji's shock, that soup he'd made was the most foul tasting thing she'd ever had the displeasure of putting in her mouth. When she'd told Wangji to lure in Wuxian, she hadn't meant to lure him to his death by food poisoning. At all. If Bruce offered her that decoction, her answer would be a hard cold no. Love be damned. 

But that in itself answered Wangji's question. Natasha was sure Wangji didn't see it that way, that all he could think of was his epic failure in the culinary arts. 

Natasha though, all she could remember was how Wuxian had been cradling the pot like a child in his arms because he'd refused to put his soup in a bowl (citing that it was his food, specifically made for him so he got to decide how he ate it) like it was the most precious thing on God's green earth and savouring each spoonful with a little smile on his face as if what he was eating didn't taste like recycled garbage. 

If that wasn't evidence of _some_ form of love, Natasha didn't know. 

"Mmh," she smirked, "he even said that you were so kind to make him his favourite soup when you knew he was feeling homesick."

That wasn't exactly _how_ Wuxian had said it, or _all_ he'd said really, but Natasha didn't think Wangji would be able to bear it if she repeated Wuxian's words verbatim. 

Wangji turned his face away, and since his exquisite inky waterfall of hair had been pinned up at the sides by elaborate braids, Natasha had a truly magnificent front row seat experience of watching his jade earlobes turn a progressively deeper shade of crimson. 

"I'll try harder next time," Wangji said softly, his slight fidgeting with the silver cufflinks at his wrist a counterpoint of how bright red his earlobes still were. 

Natasha rolled her eyes because that wasn't the point, but she let him have it; that small semblance of control that next time won't be such a disaster. 

Atleast he'd stopped sulking. 

They were enjoying the silence when Wuxian himself dashed past, screeching at the top of his lungs, his curled hair bouncing about his head like a playful version of Medusa and her head full of serpents. Loki, slithered after him hissing up a storm. 

Natasha and Wangji blinked at each other and sipped their tea. 

A while later, Wuxian came back panting as if he'd run a mile, 

"Lan Zhan!" he wailed, "save me," and proceeded to try and climb up Wangji as Loki slithered into the room, "Loki wants to eat me!" 

Loki made a face, it was weird how expressive he could make his snake face. 

"How dare you disssturb my sssleep!" Loki demanded rising so he was at eye level with Wuxian. 

"I just wanted to see if you were lying on an egg!" 

Loki's eyes bulged out of their sockets. 

Wangji had the air of a man used to such utter nonsense being spoken in his immediate vicinity, and the patience with which he persevered Wuxian trying to climb him like a tree was truly award worthy. 

"Why would I be lying on an egg??" Loki hissed, "incassse you haven't notisssed, I am male!" 

Wuxian blinked, supremely unbothered, "there was a tiny bump," he stretched his hand as if to show the location of said bump, "right --"

Loki darted forward with a pair of deadly fangs before he was snatched right out of the air before he reached his destination. 

"Mother says you have to play nice with the other children if you want to make friends," Thor said sagely as he threw his writhing brother over his shoulder. 

Thor turned to Natasha, "My Lady, I have received urgent news from Heimdall that the All Father would like to speak to my brother and I, pardon my absence," he bowed briefly. 

"Of course, go see your father," Natasha waved her hand. 

("Brother is it true that you lay eggs? You have never mentioned such an abilit--" 

"I _will_ kill you Thor! Don't think I won't!") 

Natasha chuckled into her cup. 

Wuxian was trying, very ineffectively mind you, to smooth away the wrinkles he'd created on Wangji's pale blue shirt. They made a very interesting picture, the two of them. Wangji with his light coloured formal wear and braided hair and serious face together with Wuxian with his black leggings and red cropped hoodie and unruly hair spilling every which way and smiling face. 

They really looked like a Daddy Dom and his untamed baby boy (Clint's words, not her own). 

"Aih! Lan Zhan! I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to--" and then like an _actual_ child he was distracted by his own fingernails and promptly shoved them in Wangji's face. 

"Lan Zhan Lan Zhan! Look," and Natasha saw Wangji strain to make an actual effort to look... as if Wuxian's fingernails were not just a scant centimeters shy of merging with his eyeballs. 

"Aren't they pretty?" he turned his hands this way and that so the shimmering red polish and the rabbits drawn on top in black caught the light, "I drew the bunnies myself!" 

"Mn, Wei Ying's nails are very pretty." 

Wuxian's ensuing smile could power a small country. 

Natasha would have loved to stay and watch Wangji get exceedingly flustered around a tragically oblivious Wuxian, but duty called. 

She got on her feet as the Avengers alarm blared through the tower to go get changed. 

"See you later, boys." 


	12. Chapter 12

Tony panted heavily, the normally comfortable fit of his armour feeling exceedingly claustrophobic without the reassuring drone of JARVIS' voice calculating statistics and suit status. His suit was fried and he was currently _completely_ useless, he would have tried peeling out of the suit if he was sure Modok wouldn't try and take him away.

His breathing was shallow and panicked, Tony would have worried about suffocating if he wasn't so busy swinging his arms like clubs trying not to be swarmed by doomsday bots.

The sight of Clint's exploding arrows in his periphery reassured him somewhat, and Tony wondered, completely irrelevantly, considering, if he carried that many arrows with him to all the fights. At least he knew Clint was still alive.

In his little corner secluded as he was from the main fight, seeing as even his comms were out, he really didn't know how or where the others were. Last he'd seen, Sam had been grounded and Nat had sprained her ankle. Bucky and Steve had been fairing a lot better, but he couldn't really know now. It'd been hours, he _hoped_ they were okay. They _had_ to be okay, Tony couldn't comprehend losing either one of them after having had the barest taste of the pure bliss being with them was.

The pinging of Steve's shield brought him back from his spiraling thoughts, he looked around expectantly and his heart almost gave out when he saw Bucky's leaping form receive it on the rebound. Was Steve...?

"Found him, Cap," Bucky said into his comms and tossed the shield like a frisbee in, hopefully, Steve's direction.

He smiled a little, possibly in response to whatever was being said in the comms and he looked like a vision; tired and dirty and sweaty, his bun long since collapsed during the first ten hours of the battle, Bucky sang, he _lived_ for such adrenaline. But Tony could tell he was tiring.

He carved out a path to Tony so efficiently that if Tony hadn't already been in love with the guy, he would definitely be in lust.

"Hey, doll," he smiled, panting a little, "you alright?"

Tony nodded, the movement translating mechanically to the armour, a little overwhelmed. Tony swung his arm at the bots that neared him as Bucky forced open his face plate. The sudden light was as bright as Bucky's grin.

"There you are," he sighed and Tony could breathe again, the tinny sound of Sam gagging through Bucky's earpiece music to his ears.

The battle was long and desperate, made worse by the absence of their heavy hitters; Thor and Hulk (he'd traveled to see Betty and couldn't get back in time), Loki didn't count because, well he didn't like _getting involved in_ _the matters of men_. Modok screaming probabilities and cackling maddly on his hoverchair didn't help either.

It was as if they were battling a hydra, cutting one head off only to have two more grow in its place, the bots were endless. S.H.I.E.L.D had sent multiple reinforcements but the sheer numbers of the bots were overwhelming. Perhaps the only positive thing about the whole situation was that the Dr. Doom floating in the air imperiously was most likely a Doombot, not the real supervillain/psycho/power hungry maniac.

It was getting harder to concentrate, he couldn't believe the sheer amount of (collateral) damage, they'd tried, initially, to keep the fight within the park. But things had long since gotten out of hand. He _could_ try and hack the doomsday bots' systems...he didn't have JARVIS but it was better tha--

Was Von Doom already gloating even before the battle was won? Tony wasn't exactly proficient in the etiquette of battle, but he was quite sure playing a flute ( _even before_ _one won_ ) was viewed in bad taste. 

He turned to Bucky to see if he was hearing the same thing as him, and yep he was. They looked up-- 

What in the seven hells... Was that Wuxian? 

〰️〰️

He was in his robes, black and red draped like fresh sin over his slender figure, the silver braces on his wrists struggling valiantly not to be sucked into the darkness, the blood red of his hair ribbon flying out behind him like a banner of war. 

In a fight to the death like this one, a sight like this was the last anyone expected to see. Both sides stared. 

Sam didn't consider himself over superstitious or religious for that matter, he went to church on Sundays because that's what his mother had taught him, but that was about it. The occult? Not so much 

So there had to be a perfectly _sane_ _scientific_ explanation as to why there was a man climbing up a flight of stairs that hadn't been there a _literal_ second ago and seemed to be shaped purely from a black mist... Right? 

His ascent left him at par with Doom and Wuxian smiled, quite unlike anything they'd seen before, and that was saying something considering they'd been living together for months now, all sharp angles and a little manic around the edges. 

He twirled his flute in his fingers, the crimson tassel hanging from it spinning like imminent disaster. Wuxian's silver eyes swept the scene, and Sam couldn't even imagine the sight they made battered as they were. He didn't speak, didn't respond to the insults Modok was hurling his way, didn't even react to Doom's very obvious intention to attack him.

He put the flute to his smiling lips and his eyes bled.

In retrospect, Sam could understand why Wangji always threw such a fit when he noticed Wuxian practicing Demonic Cultivation (what even was _that?_ ). Wuxian changed, he wasn't the bright smiling youth who claimed he was just three years old, he wasn't the guy that played with Clint as if they were toddlers left without supervision for a hot minute, he wasn't the guy that drew funny caricatures of the team with Steve and laughed endlessly for hours over them. He transformed, he was like a demon. It was Wuxian, but not. Speaking of Wangji, where was he? 

It was chaos, pure unadulterated chaos. There was a dark fog slithering on the ground, cold and calculating, as if it had a mind of its own. The long dead minions of AIM started rising up, signs of rigor livor already visible, and started fighting their own. The bots were more erratic in their behaviour, attacking the team then fighting each other, as if they weren't quite sure what commands to obey. 

Screams of terror were markedly louder than the shouts of pain and above all the racket, the haunting sound of the flute rose higher, eerily as if it was feeding off of the sheer unhinged state of the battle ground. 

And yes, Sam thought completely belatedly, Wuxian _could_ play people to death. 

〰️〰️

Modok was making a run for it, seeing as the tables were turned and he was now on the loosing side. 

Bucky couldn't quite comprehend what he was seeing, Wuxian was a necromancer? Some kind of dark sorcerer? 

Wuxian was locked in a fight with Doom and Bucky both hoped he was the real one and didn't. If he was the real one, Wuxian would have a harder time defeating him considering Doom was Sorcerer Supreme or something, but if Wuxian did win against the real Doom they would lock him up and he wouldn't bother them ever again. 

Bucky kind of hoped that the Doom that was there was the real Doom, Wuxian didn't have the look of someone who lost easily. 

Bucky, Steve, Maria and a few other S.H.I.E.L.D minions followed after Modok. The fight was over at the ground level, Tony would be safe with Clint, Tasha and Sam. 

〰️〰️

What kind of power did _one_ man wield to literally turn the tide of an evidently loosing battle? Clint thought as he tried not to look like he was helping Tasha limp over the medical team. 

Tasha was a strong woman, ex-assassin and current proficient spy, the absolute best if you asked Clint. That meant she was resilient and tough, but that also meant she didn't like to think that she needed help, even when she clearly did. So when Tasha leaned a little more of her weight on him, he bore it silently and didn't ask to carry her. She would probably drop kick him if he did, bad leg or no. 

Clint could see Stucky coming back, Modok had gotten away it seemed, they were probably too tired to give chase properly. 

Doom (the real one, thank God) was being cuffed and shoved in a S.H.I.E.L.D van. He had an expression most foul, it made Clint want to laugh. 

Tony was dragging a swaying Wuxian away from Fury's clutches, his one eye narrowed dangerously. They were probably going to have to hide Wuxian in a bunker with no network for several years now or something. 

Steve made quick work of Tony's armour the moment he was close enough, being the only one with the emergency manual release system information of the armour. 

Wuxian grinned at them giddily when they turned to face him, his eyes alittle glassy. 

"What even were those things?" he breathed and promptly passed out. Collapsing to the ground lifelessly like a puppet who's strings were very suddenly severed. 

They stared at his crumpled body for a long uncomprehending moment till Tasha hissed, 

"Shit! Wangji is so going to kill us." 

Quite. 


	13. Chapter 13

Lan Wangji was already at the doors ready to receive Wei Ying the moment the Avengers sect arrived. He wasn't proud of the fact that he barely spared a glance at Miss Romanov's bound ankle, or how haggard and battle worn the rest of them looked, but he could hardly stand around to exchange pleasantries with Wei Ying's form hanging limply between them in Young Master Barnes' firm hold.

As he carried Wei Ying's too slim figure away, he couldn't help but regret not having been there, personally, this probably wouldn't have happened. Probably. _Most likely_. But Wei Ying had made him promise to stay back in case anything unexpected happened, in which case _it did_. Also did Lan Zhan not trust Wei Ying enough to let him solve this with no losses on their end? If he didn't trust Wei Ying, did he not trust the Yiling Patriach that had won the sunshot campaign single handedly? 

So Lan Wangji had been left sitted in front of a hologram projection with only Master JARVIS for company as he helplessly watched Wei Ying give more than he asked for in return, watched Wei Ying give more of himself to others and retain too little for himself, bend over backwards so extremely that his spine creaked and groaned so he may satisfy others while ignoring his body's protests till it failed him completely.

He could take care of his Wei Ying all he wanted now, and it didn't give him as much satisfaction when he could only get to care for Wei Ying so tenderly when the man himself was unable to protest his ministrations with elaborate actions to prove that he was alright like he normally would.

He gently deposited Wei Ying on their bed, stripping him out of his too tight silver braces, dust covered outer robe, and arranging pillows under his head so he could be as comfortable as physically possible. Lan Wangji was the other half of the peerless jades of GusuLan and the cloud embroidered ribbon around his forehead was proof of the restraint he had cultivated for his entire life, but there was a mole under Wei Ying's lower lip, and his practiced restraint did not hold for a solid second before he was folding and leaning down to brush his fingers ever so reverently against it. When it came to Wei Ying, he was weak, he never could help himself. The voice reprimanding him in his head sounded suspiciously like his Uncle's.

Lan Wangji settled with his Qin on the floor right next to the bed and started playing for Wei Ying. Cleansing, their song, and other songs to clear the mind. With and without imbuing them with spiritual energy, tirelessly, endlessly.

〰️〰️

It had been two days already and Wuxian hadn't woken up yet. They were all worried, of course they were; especially because they couldn't help, not really. 

What was worse was that Wangji wouldn't talk to them. At all. And he wouldn't leave his self imposed seclusion with Wuxian. And when he did, it was to roam halls at odd hours like a particularly cold ghost that hadn't quite come to terms with the fact that he was dead and needed to pass into the afterlife. 

Dealing with Wangji when he was like this was tough, because they didn't really know if he was just being his normal quiet self (like the way he'd been before Wuxian's arrival) or if he was serving them up the silent treatment, chilled on a frosted plate. 

〰️〰️

Three days now, no sign of Wei Ying waking, not even a fluttering eyelash. If it weren't for the steady and reassuring beat of Wei Ying's heart, Wangji would have despaired. He checked again that the stygian tiger amulet was well kept and appropriately covered so as not to interfere with Wei Ying's recovery. 

There wasn't anything visibly wrong with Wei Ying, Lan Wangji had checked, without being in the least bit intrusive or invasive of the other's privacy. So what was wrong? Maybe... Maybe Lan Wangji wasn't playing nicely enough, wasn't doing his absolute best, wasn't applying himself enough, _focusing on_ _the wrong things_.

Lan Wangji sat by his Qin, hands clenched tightly above the delicate strings of the instrument. He would do better this time... He would wor--

"... an Zhan," Wei Ying croaked, his voice cracking rather dreadfully in the silence of the room.

Lan Wangji was up before his mind registered he was moving, coming to Wei Ying's side with a glass of water for his likely parched throat so Wei Ying may not struggle to sit upright.

Wei Ying pushed the glass away and attempted to sit by himself, "Is everyone okay?"

Lan Wangji felt fury, red and hot, quite unlike anything he'd felt before, not even in the library pavilion when Wei Ying had shown him that shameless book, rip through his core.

"You've been unconscious for three days, Wei Ying," _and all you could think about is them_? _What about_ you... _What about_ me?

"Three days," Wei Ying laughed nervously, "must have been more exhausted than I thought."

Lan Wangji wanted to go into their living area and bring back the food Miss Romanov had prepared a while ago. It had already been established that Lan Wangji could barely cook edible food, and while it was guaranteed that Wei Ying would eat it, it wasn't advisable while he was recovering.

But stupid stupid Wei Ying had already sprang out of bed patting his chest and searching around for, undoubtedly, the cursed amulet.

"Where have you put it, Lan Zhan?" and he asked as if he thought Lan Wangji would _steal_ it.

He had half a mind to do exactly that so Wei Ying would never have to use it again. 

Turned out Lan Wangji didn't need to do anything for Wei Ying to find his dark tool, they probably had a communication or something.

He pulled open a footlocker, took out the spirit trapping pouch Lan Wangji had secured the stygian tiger seal in, and took it out.

Lan Wangji could feel the resentment _bleeding_ out of the artifact, curling in dark tendrils to caress across Wei Ying's skin like a long denied lover. Wei Ying's eyes turned red as he continued to interact? with the amulet, crows congregating at the window and Lan Wangji felt cold dread collect in his chest.

"Wei Ying," and Wei Ying turned to him with an expression so openly tender, if Lan Wangji hadn't seen with his own two eyes exactly how destructive Wei Ying could be in this state he wouldn't believe it.

"Wei Ying, please stop."

Wei Ying just smiled at him. 

"This, this method it--"

"Damages my body and soul and harms my temperament, I know Lan Zhan, you've mentioned before," his smile was distracting.

Since Wei Ying was being this agreeable... maybe, "... When we go back home, will you come back to Gusu with me?"

That, somewhat predictably, seemingly broke the tentative peace. 

"Lan Wangji," Wei Ying cut furious eyes at him, and Lan Wangji could have gone a lifetime happily without knowing what his courtesy name sounded like on Wei Ying's lips, "who do you, and your righteous GusuLan clan think you are? You wish to take me to Gusu for what? For correction? Punishment?" he turned away as if speaking to Lan Wangji to his face was too much, "let me tell you something, I'm not yours to keep in line."

Wei Ying turned on his heel and made to walk away and Lan Wangji panicked, a deep seated fear of being ignored by Wei Ying rising to grip at him with terrified fingers. He did not want a repeat of those past painful days when Wei Ying's gaze would sweep past him when they were in the same room and generally not notice Lan Wangji's existence when they weren't.

Lan Wangji bowed in a salute, lower than he went when he greeted his Uncle, lower than he'd done when he'd last seen QihengJun, lower than he'd bowed to anyone in his life. It should have been humiliating, for someone of his status groveling so shamelessly in front of someone of Wei Ying's status, but all he could think of at the moment was _please_ _don't write me off as unworthy_ _of your_ _attention, promise I'll try to be better. I will be good for Wei_ _Ying_.

"Wangji has not acted correctly. Wangji apologizes for meddling in matters that do not concern him."

"Hey no, Lan Zhan," and Wei Ying was trying to lift him but Lan Wangji would not move, had he earned his forgiveness? "Get up, I'm sorry, I promise I'm not angry."

Why was Wei Ying apologizing?

Wei Ying was suddenly on his knees so he could peer at his lowered face.

"Lan Zhan, please," Wei Ying looked close to tears now and Lan Wangji could remember his severe aversion to sincere apology and gratitude.

He went to his knees then, not ready to cause Wei Ying's tears but also unwilling to leave him on his knees in front of a penitent Lan Wangji.

Wei Ying was dabbling at his cheeks with the sleeve of his red underrobe and was Lan Wangji crying? Funny how this of all things would break him.

"Don't cry, Lan Zhan, I'm not leaving you," was he also speaking out loud?

He raised amber eyes to look at Wei Ying, and Wei Ying gripped his wet sleeves anxiously, "I suppose I could tell you, I owe you an explanation anyway," he bit at his lip nervously.

Yes Lan Wangji would like to understand, but not if it caused Wei Ying such anxiety. He went to tell Wei Ying just that, but there was a finger urging his lips shut. 

"Let me, Lan Zhan, please."

Lan Wangji's will had always been weak against this man, he nodded dumbly.

Wei Ying took a deep breath as if he was walking himself to his execution, "I don't have a golden core."

Lan Wangji was confused, no core? How could that be? Wei Ying was among the greatest cultivators of their generation -- unless... "Wen Zhuliu?"

Wei Ying nodded, "You could say that." 

As one who'd lived his whole life in a clan that was taught to tell no lies, they often made people think what they wanted them to think by telling half truths, it really wasn't hard for Lan Wangji to catch that there was something that wasn't being said.

He stared at Wei Ying who sighed before slouching to sit on his hunches. 

"I gave it Jiang Cheng, his was crushed by core melting hand. I know what you're thinking, Lan Zhan, but with how competitive he is, it would have killed him. I couldn't bear to leave him that way."

There Wei Ying was giving away more than he received in return. Lan Wangji wanted to wrap him in his arms and never let him out of his sight.

"The stygian tiger amulet?"

"When I was thrown in the Burial Mounds, I had to learn how to control the resentful energy or let it consume me. We have a... uh... an understanding. The resentful energy helped me forge the amulet."

And he sounded so ashamed of that... As if he wasn't the literal embodiment of the Jiang motto; to attempt the impossible. Lan Wangji could see it now, how Wei Ying felt backed against the wall, to want to protect his family but also being forced to give away that which would have enabled him to do it. And he was sorry for putting pressure on Wei Ying, for accusing him of willingly turning to the crooked path.

Lan Wangji forced his limbs to move, to place cool fingers on Wei Ying's warm face, "not the reason I wanted to take you to Gusu," and why were his words not coming out as he wanted them?

Wei Ying tilted his head like a particularly curious puppy, and Lan Wangji shook his head, sure Wei Ying would loathe to be compared to the creatures he was so terrified of. 

"Let's get you fed."

Wei Ying rose from the floor, and Lan Wangji couldn't put in words how happy it made him that Wei Ying accepted his outstretched hand to help pull him to his feet. 

As he ate, he spoke. Lan Wangji didn't berate him. 

"The Stygian Tiger Seal is cultivating into an entity, you know, that's why it's so calm, it's energies are focused elsewhere. It'll take some years to accomplish that though."

What? The amulet was _calm_? What was it like then when it wasn't?

Wei Ying didn't mind his lack of answer. 

"I'm going to ask it to incorporate itself inside me when it does. It's going to want a corporeal body and I want a core, win win right?"

Lan Wangji was quite frankly appalled by the idea, Wei Ying was planning to let that Demonic thing inside himself to replace his core?

"You're going to turn malevolent, Wei Ying."

"No I'm not, it'll be like a core. I'll use it to do whatever _I_ want. I'll _control_ it. Though I'll be using Chenching rather than Suibian and my methods will still be the same," he said with a brilliant smile as if he'd solved a rather difficult puzzle. And maybe he had.

But... 

"Wei Ying, you need to account for the possibility that it might not happen as you plan it will." 

"I have you for that, don't I?" 

"My future core is going to cultivate to immortality," he said with a coy smile, "I guess I'm going to need the illustrious HanguangJun to be there incase I go feral." 

Huh. 


	14. Chapter 14

Lan Wangji sat at the low table in their living room and listened to Wei Ying play a truly horrible rendition of their song on Chenching, and he absolutely _did not_ frown in displeasure.

"What?" Wei Ying asked, not understanding his expression, "I'll have you know I've never actually heard that song. Only bits and snatches from I don't know where stuck in my head," he twirled his flute briefly, "I think I'm doing pretty good, if I do say so myself."

Lan Wangji sighed and summoned Wangji a little despairing. 

Anything to get wangxian to stop sounding like that.

Even as he started plucking the finely tuned strings of his Guqin, Lan Wangji could already _feel_ Wei Ying's questions. He didn't know if he could answer them, if he wanted to answer them, or even if he had the words to answer them. 

Lan Wangji was endlessly grateful that Wei Ying just lifted his flute to his lips to copy his melody, and after a few tries they could coordinate well enough to duet properly. 

Wei Ying smiled at him over the darkness of Chenching and Lan Wangji could feel his face mimic the action, if ever so slightly.

Yes. Yes, this is exactly how wangxian should sound like. 

〰️〰️

"You think Wangji would be convinced to have dinner with us?" Steve asked as he moved around Nat to get more ingredients from the fridge.

"I should hope so, he's been in an agreeable mood lately," she smiled as she cut up a truly amazing amount of scallions, "listen to how beautifully they duet."

Steve raised a bemused brow at her, "Clint's rubbing of on you."

"I don't think Laura would be very pleased to hear that _very_ _false_ accusation," Nat said smirking.

Steve rolled his eyes so hard Natasha worried he'd lose them in the back of his head. 

"You look happy," Nat said, apropos to nothing, as was her very unorthodox way to catch people blindsided. 

"Because I am," Steve answered, because why not? "it's more than I could have ever hoped for." 

Nat smiled, one of those small genuine smiles they rarely get treated to, "I'm happy for you." Then, "Scallions are done." 

Steve swore he'd get whiplash one day solely from conversing with Nat. 

"Great! We're done here," Steve put his hands on his hips as he surveyed their handiwork, "JARVIS call reinforcements."

Nat had put away her apron and started washing her hands when Bucky and Clint dropped from the kitchen vent.

"What? What happened? JARVIS said there was an emergency!"

Steve smiled a little too sweetly, "Well, it is. I can't carry all these to the table all on my lonesome."

Bucky's face twitched, "Tasha is here, she could help you!"

Nat squeezed her way between Bucky and Clint to get to the door, "No, she couldn't, _Tasha_ cooked, you can't expect her to lay the table as well."

"Don't speak about yourself in third person, it's creepy," Clint scowled, grumpy at being roped into laying the table.

Bucky's arm whirred as he took hold of the portable induction hot plate, "I swear, Stevie, you're lucky I couldn't live without you." 

Steve blushed slightly at that. 

Wuxian and Wangji arrived as Bucky was setting up the hot plate at center of the table. 

"Where's the danger?" Wuxian asked, brushing his hair out of his face using his flute, a grumpy Wangji trailing behind him.

"Wow! You guys arrived ten minutes late to an emergency!" Clint exclaimed, his voice filled with wonderous disbelief.

Wuxian rolled his eyes impatiently. 

They _had_ been disturbed during their alone time.

Nat grinned impishly, "Help?"

〰️〰️

In all his years, the famed second young master of the GusuLan clan, younger half of the peerless jades of GusuLan, second ranking in the list of most proficient cultivators of their generation, has never been burdened with the task of _laying the_ _table_.

He didn't think it was degrading or anything but _do only tasks that are within your range_ of _responsibility_. There had been servants for that.

Wei Ying had joined in on the action readily enough and not wanting to come across as proud and snooty, Lan Wangji joined in as well. He was a quick study, he could learn.

They carried truly astounding amounts of food to the table in heaping plates and dishes. Lan Wangji helped transport overflowing plates of bok choy, lettuce, tofu, shiitake mushrooms, pork ribs, beef tripe, egg dumplings, chicken feet, Napa cabbage, prawns, beef balls, scallops, clams and others more he couldn't recognize. And why was everything raw? Then he sauces were being brought out in small white bowls with pretty cherry blossom pink detailing and they were endless. Lan Wangji could count at least ten bowls of different sauces.

Wei Ying carried over dishes of glass noodles, and rice and mantou and jiaozi, "Why is there so much food?"

Really the wrong person to ask. 

"Hotpot!" Young Master Barton screamed as Young Master Barnes carried an overly large, (exaggeratedly so) yin-yang pot and put it on top of the hot plate at the center of the round table. 

Lan Wangji stared at the boiling soup, at the stark difference between the nauseatingly orange side of the yin-yang hotpot and the more healthy looking white and green side, at the spread of raw foods spread on the table till it groaned under the sheer weight of them. Were they really going to do what he thought they were going to do? 

〰️〰️

It was rare that they all got to be at the tower, with no severe injuries or dire missions to dreadfully look forward to. Being alive and safe and content was worth celebrating. 

Everyone was at the round table, sat without any real arrangement. Wangji kept to the vegetarian side of the hotpot though, unwilling to let any spice or meat fall into his plate accidentally, with Wuxian to his right and Bruce to his left. The rest just spilled aimlessly around. 

"Wait!" Tony suddenly pushed from the table, "Drinks! Come with me, Wuxian." 

A few minutes later and they were back; Wuxian with a bottle Dry Sack Medium Cherry cradled in his arm and Tony with a Masi Costasera Amarone and Amarone Valpolicella clutched by the necks in both hands. 

Tony pushed the bottle of Amarone Valpolicella towards Steve and Bucky who dimpled at him gratefully, a little lovestruck. 

Tony smirked at the rest of them, "Every man for himself --" 

In which case, he was shocked (but that was his own fault really) when Bruce revealed a bottle of Grenache and put it between him and Sam. Natasha also materialized an Ausi Shiraz from nowhere and pulled open the cork. 

"Wangji can have a sprite," Natasha said as handed him a can of chilled softdrink. 

Tony was a little miffed that he didn't get to gloat over his superior wine collection, but he still stood with his glass of wine (where were they even hiding that?) 

"I'd like to propose a toast," he raised his glass, "to peace," his coffee coloured eyes swept over them, "to found family," and his eyes rested on Steve and Bucky, smiling softly, "to love. Cheers." 

"Cheers!" 

The soft clinking of glasses signaled the commencement of a truly rowdy meal; filled with loud conversation and laughter and getting drunk.

They all knew about Lan Wangji's never talking during meals so they didn't try to engage him in conversation and Lan Wangji was infinitely grateful for that. Wei Ying talked to him though, because he never seemed to have any problems carrying on a one-sided conversation. With Wei Ying at his side, Lan Wangji's bowl never seemed to empty despite not reaching into the hotpot himself even once and his glass didn't seem to empty either.

"Here, Lan Zhan, have some more tofu," Wei Ying said softly as he piled more into Lan Wangji's plate, his voice a sharp contrast to how loud he was just a second ago while talking to Clint across the table.

Lan Wangji dipped his tofu in his little side bowl, the sauce there a daring mix of sesame oil, minced garlic, soy sauce and chopped scallions. 

Lan Wangji tried to ignore Wei Ying's lips reddened by the chilli oil he was so enthusiastically inhaling as he placed a mantou in Wei Ying's bowl, he was careful to pick from the meat stuffed ones rather than the plain ones, sure Wei Ying would be happier about the meat.

Wei Ying was so happy that Lan Wangji got more haidai for his trouble. 

Lan Wangji was nibbling on a mantou, already so full he felt like he would burst open when Tony started guiding the others to crack open quail eggs into their bowls. Beat them, then add steaming vermicelli into it.

It was appalling. 

They liked it so much, a new tray of eggs was brought over to the table. 

Steve and Natasha were arguing, very amicably, about whether they should make dimsum or wonton soup for breakfast.

In a short while, the food was almost finished, not surprising since Steve and Bucky alone could eat enough for a decent sized troup, add Bruce into the mix and they could eat enough for an entire legion.

Tony stood up suddenly, his hands slamming on the table loudly and he rocked a little on his feet. His bottle was more than three quarter way gone 

"I can't help but notice," he announced once he'd gotten everyone's attention, "that the very best Avengers of all time," he gestured at Steve and Bucky --

"Your bias is showing, Tony."

"--are still stone cold sober. And if I hear one more mention of how sweet this fruit juice is," he turned to Wuxian, "so help me God I will fling you out the window."

There was a brief interlude of silence after Tony spoke that was broken by the man himself. 

"Asgardian liquor, aged for hundreds of years, preserved in the dense wood of Asgardian oak--"

"Yes, we get it..."

"--a drink of the gods," Tony continued, undeterred, "made by the gods, for the god--"

"Someone please make him shut up!"

"I'll bring the barrel up."

〰️〰️

Doing the dishes was as easy as loading the dishwasher, and after that was done, they headed to the living room because team night. 

"Before we start on the nice movie Wangji has been kind enough to select, I have an announcement!" Tony said a little too loudly.

"There's a gala next month, a masquerade party, mine of course. The Avengers have a standing invitation, obviously. I was just wondering," he swished his drink around in the bottle as he motioned to Wuxian and Wangji, "would you both like to go?"

Wuxian nodded drowsily, the otherworldly liquor making him more loose and cuddly.

"They could come as our plus ones," Sam suggested mildly.

"Yes! You're a genius Sammie!" Tony dragged Sam into a hold that was a little too long to be classified as a hug.

Bucky went up to them and dragged Tony away from Sam and tucked him under his arm like a particularly aggressive mother hen, "My Tony."

Sam raised his hands palms up, "He's all yours, big guy, ain't nobody complaining about it."

"I'm bringing Laura," Clint chimed from the couch where he was being cuddled by Natasha.

"I'm bringing Betty," Bruce mumbled from where he was doing his best impression of being eaten by the giant grey bean bag he was lounging on.

"I'm bringing Dr. Cho," Tony collapsed on Steve and brought Bucky down with him so they crashed onto Steve proper. Steve's patience was boundless, he just arranged them on the couch and covered them with a light shawl.

"I'll be bringing Wangji then," Natasha said, "we'll have a theme and everything."

"Bucky will take Wuxian," Steve said.

"Hey," Sam shouted, "why can't I take him?"

"Coz I want us to be sad and lonely without plus ones during the party." Okay maybe Steve was a little drunk.

Sam supplied bowls of flavoured popcorn, "I can't believe you'd do this to me man, I thought we were bros."

Steve was clearly unrepentant. 

As The Lion King started, Wuxian curled around Wangji like a smile. 


	15. Chapter 15

Lan Wangji was not nervous, really he wasn't. He was just... uneasy yes that was it, the tiniest bit uneasy. He couldn't help it, Wei Ying had been taken away a good two hours ago and he hasn't received any news since then. What was Miss Romanov doing to him? Was Wei Ying okay?

Lan Wangji could honestly not believe that he'd agreed, quite unwillingly mind you, to go to the masquerade ball. He hadn't wanted to, but he couldn't imagine not seeing Wei Ying for a whole night where in Wei Ying would be dancing the night away with some _girl_ or other. His thoughts and imagination would eat him alive, so yeah he was going and he kind of regretted it already.

It was almost nine now, and --

The door to his room swung open, Lan Wangji wasn't very disturbed that he was in just a bathrobe because this was the state of undress that was required of him, and Miss Romanov poked her head in and said in a most excited voice, "Your turn!" 

Her face was already made up, with metallic green and gold eyelids and lips as red as her hair. She looked really pretty. 

Lan Wangji sighed and got up from his not so meditative pose to follow an equally berobed Miss Romanov and hoped to Guanyin he wouldn't just go to sleep wherever. 

〰️〰️

Natasha did not laugh, Wangji was seated on the stool in front of her dressing table and he was the very picture of reluctant acquiescence, okay maybe she chuckled a little.

"Where is Wei Ying?" he asked as he glanced furtively around the room.

"Already went to his date," she answered dismissively and Wangji made a face. How people thought he wasn't expressive was beyond her.

Wangji was a creature of silence and without Wuxian there to babble at him _(or for him)_ the total silence could be a little jarring. Luckily for Natasha, she could do quiet quite comfortably.

She turned him gently around so he could comb out his hair; such length such volume such a silky feel, if only Wangji was amenable to the idea, with her direction and Pepper's connections he would be modeling for L'Oreal in no time.

It took... well _a lot_ of wheedling to get Wangji to take off his forehead ribbon but he did eventually and she had to tie it around the pull through braid she was making as compromise. She could work with that.

Natasha really liked dressing up Wangji and Wuxian, especially Wuxian; that boy was up for literally _whatever_. Wangji had a little more standard; nothing too flashy or too showy and whatever it was it had to come in the shades of white or the palest of blue, silver detailing was okay but that was about it. Frustrating, but doable.

Wangji sat through foundation, bronzing and highlighting, vehemently refused blush or eye makeup of any sort, but Natasha did his eyebrows (maybe a little forcefully) and applied a cherry flavoured lip tint to his lips.

A Cartier Paris Diamond Platinum Dangle earring went to one ear which they'd pierced weeks ago for this very purpose, a Blancpain Silver watch on his left wrist and a Gucci Icon Blossom White Gold and White Enamel bracelet on the right, and Wangji was good to go.

She gestured to the white Armani suit laid out the bed behind them, it's shirt was a Grey as close to silver as could be, with a white tie and silver cufflinks in the shape of bunnies. Sleek black Italian leather dress shoes rested at the foot of the bed, "Go ahead get dressed, I'll be in the next room if you need help."

Natasha _did not_ bounce out of the room. Wangji was going to look so delicious, Wuxian, the oblivious idiot, wouldn't be able to resist.

" _AHEM!"_ Tony's voice sounded from the speakers, " _I HOPE YOU ARE READY FOR THE PARTY THAT I, OUT OF THE GOODNESS OF MY HEART, AM HOSTING. IT REALLY WOULD BE IN BAD TASTE IF WE WERE LATE TO A FUNCTION IN THE SAME BUILDING IN WHICH WE LIVE._

Natasha rolled her eyes, she was pretty sure Tony himself hadn't even taken a shower yet. 

Speaking of being ready, Natasha really hoped Wuxian wasn't out there playing with James and destroying her masterpiece. She would not be pleased. Wuxian was in a black Gothic type of black slim fit wool suit, only he'd refused to be put in a shirt and tie. And Natasha had to make him wear a black mock neck instead because he'd threatened to go to the ball with nothing but his suit jacket, _which_ was not so bad, but Pepper _had_ planned this party and pissing Pepper off wasn't so high in her to do list.

She'd done two waterfall braids on either side of Wuxian's head and unlike Wangji, Wuxian had agreed to a little blush, a bit of red eyeshadow in the corners of his eyes and eyeliner in his waterline. That paired with his simple Chanel necklace and a Rose Gold Patel Phillipe watch, made for a harder time for James to keep away suitors.

Wuxian also got a gold Venetian mask with extravagant black feather detail; like the feathers of the crows he so loved holding court with from her, Natasha had boundless masquerade masks from her many missions undercover. He looked exquisite, really. Maybe Wangji was the one who wouldn't be able to resist.

"I'm done," Wangji said quietly from the next room after an inordinately long time. She found him staring at himself in the full length mirror and _damn!_ Why the hell was he already in love with someone else? 

It really was commendable that Wangji hadn't commented even once on the sheer extravagance of his attire, maybe it had sunk into that stubborn head of his that _it wasn't his money and neither was it hers and the person who was footing the bills didn't think they were spending enough._

She thought to add a brooch on his lapel but it would be too much for Wangji so she restrained herself and limited herself to folding a pocket square into his pocket. If Wangji noticed that the gray of the pocket square was the exact shade of Wuxian's eyes, he didn't say.

Natasha handed him a Venetian half moon mask with dark blue, ancient Egyptian inspired eyelines, cool silvery tones and sparkling filigree embellishments. 

Natasha watched Wangji look at it with a vaguely constipated expression and felt one of her rarer pleased smiles come to her face. Wangji in turn smiled at her very slightly, it wasn't the one preserved for just Wuxian, but it was something. He wasn't too disgruntled if he was willing to smile, right? 

〰️〰️

Lan Wangji held the ostentatious mask on his lap and felt a little like a bride being prepared to meet her husband on the wedding night, at least until Miss Romanov started pulling off her robe. 

Lan Wangji turned sharply away. Either Miss Romanov was very confident with her body or she didn't really care whether or not he saw her naked body. Was he that gay? Or maybe it was because she knew more than a hundred ways to kill him using her bare hands if he tried anything unseemly. Yeah it was most probably that. 

But Lan Wangji had no interest whatsoever to see her in the nude so he fled the room with nay an explanation. 

Miss Romanov's throaty laughter escorted him out. 

〰️〰️

Wangji really was too easy to tease. 

Natasha picked up the black ML Monique Lhuiller Odyssey Gown ( _relax Wangji it's lurex_ _not leather)_ from her bed and put it on, already anticipating Tony's rant about how the pricier Hermes dress would have been prettier. A pair of black lace gloves and Dior Petit CD earrings. 

She was going for simple today, but Pepper had sent her a pair of strappy golden heels from Christian Louboutin's latest collection and well... Natasha couldn't refuse such elegance. A gold and red venetian wave mask with its filigrees and little points of bright eye catching detail completed the look. 

They were going to be so _fashionably late_ it wasn't even funny. 

〰️〰️

The ball was well underway by the time they arrived. Pepper had really gone all out for this. The theme colours seemed to be burgundy and gold, very royal hues. There were several gold chandeliers dangling from the ceiling, a five tier sparkling champagne tower and a chocolate fountain on the other extreme end of the table. A band was already playing Beethoven in the background. Everything reeked of opulent extravagance. 

Natasha knew this kind of thing among the circles of the filthy rich incorporated a healthy dose of intimidation with a side of mild threatening so she wasn't too shocked by the excessiveness of it. 

Wangji was glancing around, no doubt looking for his Wei Ying. Natasha hid her smirk as she guided him over to the little circle of their friends, who really weren't looking like they were making any effort to be anonymous. 

As they walked closer, Natasha could see Clint's heavily pregnant wife, she looked really pretty in her husband's favourite colour. Beside her, Wangji inhaled sharply when Wuxian came into view. Natasha patted his arm where hers was looped around. Yes she knew. 

〰️〰️

Lan Wangji watched Young Master Barton walk away with his wife, his hand braced on her lower back so she didn't have to lean back so much. He really was a nice young man when he wasn't pretending to be a four year old high on sugar.

Lan Wangji didn't really get the point of the masks if they were all going to have them on sticks and not hold them up to their faces anyway. The future was just so full of paradoxes. 

He was quite happy to just sip on his glass of Sprite and pretend he wasn't stealing glances at Wei Ying swinging playfully on Young Master Barnes' arm. Miss Romanov, however, was not.

"Don't just stare at him, go ask him to dance!" she demanded hotly in his ear.

Lan Wangji swallowed thickly, "You think he would be agreeable?" and Lan Wangji wasn't proud of the wobble in his voice.

"I don't think so, you blind idiot, I know so. Now go!"

He'd been pushed ever so slightly in Wei Ying's direction, his own momentum dragging him further out, and he had the option of standing around awkwardly or actually going to ask Wei Ying to dance. The decision wasn't exactly a difficult one.

Lan Wangji walked over to Wei Ying with all the confidence he wasn't feeling under Young Master Barnes' eternally amused gaze.

Lan Wangji bowed the tiniest bit and proffered his hand just like Miss Romanov had taught him, "Would you do me the honour of having this dance?"

And Young Master Barnes snorted as if he couldn't help himself. 

Wei Ying tilted his head curiously, and for a moment Lan Wangji was utterly terrified that he would say something like 'Lan Zhan, how bold' and laugh it off.

But he didn't because Wei Ying liked to surprise him and keep him always on his toes. 

"Of course," he said and slipped his fingers delicately into Lan Wangji's palm, "and believe me, the honour is all mine."

"Smooth," Young Master Wilson murmured as Lan Wangji led Wei Ying to the dance floor.

Who was this masquerade fooling anyway, as if Lan Wangji couldn't recognize the strong line of Wei Ying's shoulders with his eyes closed, as if Lan Wangji didn't know the sound of Wei Ying's laughter like he did all the rules of GusuLan, as if he didn't know the curve of Wei Ying's lips when he smiled.

For the minute it took for them to reach the dance floor, Lan Wangji was a nervous wreck, internally panicking about their positions and who was going to lead. He shouldn't have. Wei Ying spun around and held up his arms, "You asked me for the dance, so it's only fair I let you lead, no?"

Lan Wangji nodded his ascent, the logic _was_ sound.

He led Wei Ying into a foxtrot, utterly endeared by how delightfully excited he was. He spun so gracefully, making up for his lack of skirt with showy flairs and Lan Wangji was scared he might trip and fall so he stopped spinning him altogether. Wei Ying's ensuing pout was as adorable as could be.

For a precious second, they exchanged partners and Lan Wangji found himself with an armful of Miss Romanov. She looked at his bright red ears silently and sent him a most salacious wink as she danced away. Okay, fine, he was enjoying himself! 

The music changed and he was dragging Wei Ying to a Viennese waltz, he was so very pliant as he yielded to Lan Wangji's leading. Lan Wangji wanted to kiss him.

Wei Ying had started to pant a little, maybe Lan Wangji ought to slow down? He did, completely forgetting the fact that a slow waltz was a romantic waltz. Dimitri Shostakovich was playing in the background when Wei Ying looked into his eyes for the first time since they started dancing.

"Lan Zhan is looking very pretty tonight," he said with a smile, his fingers tracing the edges of Lan Wangji's mask. 

So they were done pretending?

"Wei Ying is very pretty as well," Lan Wangji said quite aware of the inadequacy of his words and wondering if Wei Ying could hear the pounding of his heart.What with how Wei Ying was draping himself so shamelessly over him. 

Since they were no longer pretending, maybe...

"Wei Ying, would you --" and where were his words when he needed them most? He refused to loose them now. Not when Wei Ying was staring at him so patiently, no doubt refraining from just talking over him, "would you save me the next dance?"

At that, the parts of Wei Ying's face that he could see softened. He laid the warm pads of his fingers on Lan Wangji's cheek, "of course, I'll even save you all my dances if that's what Lan Zhan wants," he said so unbelievably tender Lan Wangji thought he was going to die from a mix of joy and embarrassment.

Wei Ying laughed at him, "Don't get shy on me now, Lan Zhan, you were the one bold enough to demand all my attention!"

Lan Wangji spun him out for lack of a better defense and when Wei Ying collapsed back into his chest, he had his adorable pout on, "So mean," he mumbled into Lan Wangji's chest.

A fast paced rumba was next and Miss Romanov really was the Queen of foresight to have taught them all possible dances of the ballroom in both the roles of the lead and the one being led. 

The first notes of a Tango started and no, just no. He dragged a resistant Wei Ying out of the dance floor. He didn't have the high octane lustful energy required for a Tango... Well maybe he did, but not with such an audience. He wasn't leaving Wei Ying to the lustful attentions of a Tango either, hence the dragging.

As they were leaving, the walked counterpoint to Miss Romanov who was dragging a mildly resistant Young Master Barnes to the dance floor. She raised a curious eyebrow at his leaving but he deigned not to answer. Choosing to push a flute of champagne into Wei Ying's hand instead. 

"You dance really well, Lan Zhan," Wei Ying complimented as he picked a strawberry to dip into the chocolate fountain.

He put it in his mouth and smiled in that coy way he had these days, his eyelashes dipping to hide the mischief in his eyes. 

"HanguangJun will not eat the strawberry dipped in chocolate, but maybe he would appreciate a plain one?" Wei Ying held up a strawberry, it looked very pink and very delicious especially held as it was in Wei Ying's hand.

Lan Wangji dipped his head to take the fruit into his mouth a little helplessly. Carefully avoiding his fingers so he didn't bite Wei Ying accidentally. Wei Ying watched him with huge eyes expectantly.

"Sweet, right?"

"Mn. Very sweet." _Just like Wei Ying._

He grinned brightly as if he was responsible for the creation of strawberries for Lan Wangji's personal enjoyment.

They turned around to contemplate the patrons twirling on the dance floor in increasingly perverted versions of the tango, when someone tapped on Wei Ying's arm. 

They turned in tandem. 

"Hello, I'd like to dance with you if that's okay," a woman with a long ballgown and an elaborate mask said to Wei Ying.

Lan Wangji pickled in distaste, but Wei Ying was just staring at him. As if Lan Wangji would ever deny him his happiness. If Wei Ying wanted to dance with a pretty girl, then Wei Ying would dance with a pretty girl. Lan Wangji would never stand in his way. 

Lan Wangji looked away as Wei Ying was taken to the dance floor. He picked at the buttons on his suit jacket uselessly feeling very helpless and a little close to tears. He'd thought... 

His arm was grabbed very suddenly and it was years of practice and self restraint that prevented him from flailing unflatteringly. 

Miss Romanov dragged him to a cha-cha and it was commendable that she was leading him without actually being in the lead position. 

"What happened back there?" she hissed at him.

Lan Wangji blinked, "Wei Ying wanted to dance with the beautiful woman."

"That's not at all what happened from where I'm standing!" She sighed heavily.

"Spin me," Miss Romanov ordered, and he had a very clear view of Wei Ying dancing with the unknown woman. Her hands were everywhere. And Wei Ying, being the outrageous flirt he was was being a good sport about it, only removing her hands when they wondered too far.

"He was very clearly waiting for you to say something, refuse most likely. It's considered very rude to reject an offer to dance without an actual reason, which he had in this case."

Miss Romanov tipped her head to the side and Lan Wangji, again, had a clear line of sight to where Wei Ying was getting groped.

Okay. That was it. 

Lan Wangji suddenly dropped Miss Romanov's hands which must have been exceedingly rude, but nothing like that registered in Lan Wangji's mind. So focused he was on getting Wei Ying away from that witch that he didn't hear Natasha's mumbled, "There goes my boy."

Lan Wangji took immense pleasure in ripping Wei Ying from that crone's clutches and dragging him out and away from the dance floor.

Something warm and special curled purring in his chest when Wei Ying didn't resist him. Silently allowing the man handling to go on even though he was most likely making a spectacle of them both. 

Lan Wangji only stopped when they were in the cloak room (what was the purpose of it anyway? It was tragically empty).

"Lan Zhan what--"

Lan Wangji did what he'd always wanted to do since forever, leaned in close and kissed Wei Ying with all the want that had percolated in his core without an outlet for years. Wei Ying's already opened mouth assisted in this endeavor immensely.

Lan Wangji pushed Wei Ying into the wall and poured all his want and need and frustration and _love_ into the kiss and made Wei Ying take it. He was the cause of all that, wasn't he?

Lan Wangji pulled back, panting slightly with the taste of strawberries in his mouth and promptly ran away. Not willing to see the probably disgusted expression on Wei Ying's face. 

〰️〰️

Wei Wuxian blinked for several minutes in incomprehension, what just happened? Was Lan Zhan okay?

He couldn't be drunk, could he?

Maybe he was and... and nobody deserved to look after a drunk Lan Zhan if it wasn't him.

He rushed to inform Natasha that he and Lan Zhan were leaving early.

〰️〰️

"Why?" Natasha demanded worriedly, "what happened?"

"Well," Wuxian fiddled with the Patel Phillipe watch at his wrist, "I think Lan Zhan's drunk."

Natasha squinted, "He doesn't drink though?"

"I have no other explanation for what he did! He _has_ to be drunk!"

"What'd he do?" Natasha probed again, keeping the absolutely ecstatic smile off her face.

"N-nothing!! I gotta go!"

Wuxian left hurriedly, like an avenging angel going to war. 

She smirked a little to herself, maybe she wouldn't have to borrow James' bullwhip and whip some sense into Wangji after all.

Sometimes, they acted so mature and adult like it was hard to believe that Wuxian was just 18 to Wangji's 19.

Natasha smoothly intercepted the annoying woman before she could hinder Wuxian's warpath. She bared her teeth in a smile. This woman was a little too old for Wuxian anyway.

〰️〰️

He found Lan Zhan in their room, he was predictable like that. 

"Lan Zhan, _Er-gege_ , how shameless. What would your GusuLan elders think if they knew what you did, huh?"

And Wei Wuxian would have kept teasing him for _days_ if he hadn't noticed how unLan Zhan Lan Zhan was behaving.

He was pressed to the wall in a way that had to be painful, as if he would like to seep through it if it was at all possible.

Wei Wuxian took off his mask and placed it on the table, now that he was paying attention to it ; he could _feel_ the negative energy in the room. Self loathing, disgust, _fear_. Wei Wuxian was very sorry. 

Lan Zhan's current state read cornered animal, so Wei Wuxian wouldn't try and draw closer and further scare him. Honestly, this wasn't the kind of reaction he would expect from anyone after kissing him so thoroughly.

"Hey Lan Zhan, I'm sorry I didn't mean that," Wei Wuxian tried to make himself smaller and as unthreatening as possible. If he were taller, he'd kneel.

Lan Zhan didn't even acknowledge him, he kept trying to undo his hair so he could retrieve his forehead ribbon. 

"Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan stop. I promise I'm not leaving you."

That at least got a reaction, Lan Zhan turned to look at him with wide eyes and he looked so vulnerable, so scared Wei Wuxian wondered when the venerable HanguangJun turned this way. 

"I promised you, didn't I? I'm not leaving you and I'm not angry, I swear. I'm sorry too, you know, I wasn't serious, I was just teasing, okay?"

Lan Zhan nodded.

"Come here, Lan Zhan. Please?"


	16. Chapter 16

"Come here, Lan Zhan. Please?"

And if Wei Wuxian had to stand there and wait for Lan Zhan like he would a child learning to walk, he would. Gladly.

Lan Zhan stared at him a little doubtfully. 

"I'd really like a hug from my favorite person right about now, you know," and Wei Wuxian's smile was a little tremulous now. Lan Zhan was scaring him.

"I'm your favourite person?"

And Wei Wuxian must have been doing something wrong in this life for Lan Zhan to feel the _need_ to ask such a question.

"Is that even a question? Of course you are, Lan Zhan!"

Lan Zhan started walking over to him and Wei Wuxian met him halfway, folding Lan Zhan's trembling form into his embrace. Why would someone as pretty and perfect like Lan Zhan be so Insecure?

"I thought you were drunk you know. Now that I know you are not... Lan Zhan, we could pretend it never happened if that's what you want. We could pretend it was an accident and never speak of it again," he said as if it didn't hurt his very heart to speak those words. As if those few seconds of being kissed by Lan Zhan didn't feel like ascending.

He felt Lan Zhan shake his head where it was nestled in the crook of his neck. 

"Wasn't an accident. Wanted to kiss Wei Ying."

Really? He wasn't hearing things was he?

Wei Wuxian tried to make Lan Zhan upright so he could see for himself whether or not he was being serious. The fact that the disciples of GusuLan did not lie didn't apply in this situation. 

Lan Zhan was as immovable as a rock, his arms clumping tighter around Wei Wuxian's middle. Wei Wuxian couldn't help a little giggle at the childish display.

"Please let me see you, Lan Zhan. I'd really like to see your pretty face. You wouldn't deny me the beauty of your gorgeous golden eyes, _er-gege,_ would you?"

When Lan Zhan finally looked up, he was still so painfully shy and his ears probably felt like a furnace, but he had the smallest smiles in the entire goddamn history of smallest smiles on his face. He was beautiful.

"There you are," Wei Wuxian put his hands on Lan Zhan's cheeks to make him look up and squished gently. Charmed by how dumpling like it made him look. 

"Can I kiss you, Lan Zhan?"

Lan Zhan's golden eyes finally met his properly, and he made the sweetest whimpering sound, "Please."

As Wei Wuxian drifted closer, he wondered why he'd never just _asked_ , if getting to kiss Lan Zhan was merely a measly question away. They would have been doing this _months_ ago.

Kissing Lan Zhan wasn't as phenomenal or earth shattering as he'd thought it'd be. It was sweet and calming like coming home after a long day out, like rolling out a mat and gazing at the stars in the dead of night, like holding hands and watching the reflection of the full moon in a lake, like having the GusuLan forehead ribbon tied around his wrist to protect him from Lan Yi's Qin.

Wei Wuxian pulled back a bit and licked at Lan Zhan's lips, were those cherries? There hadn't been any on the table?

Wei Wuxian would have liked to keep kissing Lan Zhan, he tasted so good and his body felt exquisite pressed up to him like that, but... He wanted to know. Wei Wuxian had always been too curious for his own good. 

Lan Zhan made a small objecting sound and tried to kiss him again but Wei Wuxian chuckled and shook his head. 

"Answer me first, Lan Zhan, then you can kiss me all you want, yes?" 

Lan Zhan pouted, but nodded despite his obvious disagreement of the proceedings. How was he so cute?

"How long, Lan Zhan?"

Lan Zhan sighed as if this was an inevitability he'd have to face eventually and then dragged his hands from Wei Wuxian's middle, sending fine tingles through Wei Wuxian's body, to cradle his head in his palms.

Lan Zhan rested their foreheads together, and Wei Wuxian couldn't help but think that this was the height of intimacy, being so close to Lan Zhan, and breathing the same air as him.

Lan Zhan's fingers mapped out his face reverently, gliding down to snag on the necklace on his neck.

"Wei Ying," Lan Zhan began breathily and Wei Wuxian listened closely because Lan Zhan's words were rare and as he'd realized recently, slow to form, "I've wanted you since the first time you broke into Cloud Recesses and brought liquor with you. I have liked you from the moment you gifted me those two adorable bunnies. I have loved you since the day you volunteered to help me investigate the Yin Iron case."

"Wha-- Lan Zhan, what? That's _forever_ ago, why didn't you ever say anything?"

"Three years ago, not as long as Wei Ying is making it seem," Wei Wuxian felt that the judgemental stare leveled at his person was undeserved.

"But--" Lan Zhan put a hand on his mouth.

"Your curiosity is satisfied now, yes?" Lan Zhan asked, his voice rising hopefully, "Wei Ying said I'd get to kiss him all I wanted if I answered his question. Can I?

Wei Wuxian looked at the embodiment of pure adorableness that was Lan Zhan and felt one his more tame smiles overflow into his face. How was he supposed to say no to those hopefully sparkling eyes?

"Yes, Lan Zhan, yes you can." 


	17. Chapter 17

Lan Wangji promptly woke up at five am,as he always did. He stayed in bed for a minute as his body woke up along with his mind, as he always did. He turned around and came face to face with Wei Ying... which he'd been doing for as long as Wei Ying had come to the future to find him, but since two weeks ago, waking up to Wei Ying's sleeping face was _literally_ nirvana.

Lan Wangji smiled slightly as Wei Ying, unconsciously, still in deep slumber, cuddled further into him, his wild hair caressing Lan Wangji's cheek softly. He curled himself a bit tighter around his Wei Ying (and yes he had express permission from the man himself to use the possessive adjective), he was allowed to sleep in wasn't he? He wasn't in Gusu anyway, as Wei Ying so patiently kept reminding him.

As Lan Wangji lay there in the peaceful hours of the morning, before the noisy inhabitants of the household woke up, _honestly Lan Wangji thought that they were a lot rowdier than the Jiang Sect disciples and he honestly hadn't thought it was actually physically possible_ , his mind wandered. 

He thought of the absolutely ecstatic days he spent with his Wei Ying; either calmly snuggled on the couch with a good book, or high in the air on a rollercoaster with screaming children behind him, Lan Wangji lived for them. He didn't especially like when his Wei Ying dragged him out to more crowded areas, but his sweetly exclusive company more than made up for it, and it had already been proven that he'd follow his Wei Ying to the bottomless pits of hell if Wei Ying simply just _asked_.

Thinking of the days inadvertently made his mind think of the nights too( _and some_ _mornings and afternoons and evenings)_ , how could he not? After such outings, especially ones Wei Ying knew he didn't particularly enjoy, Wei Ying usually took him to bed and proceeded to create a totally foreign being out of Lan Wangji.

Sometimes it shocked him to high heaven just how _wanton_ and _needy_ he became in his Wei Ying's gentle loving arms. How he'd keen so shamelessly and _beg_ for more. How he'd lay bared, vulnerable and desperate for Wei Ying's... anything. How his Wei Ying would gaze upon him so tenderly with his red eyes. How his Wei Ying would smile so beautifully so gently and indulge him completely. 

There had been times when he'd made love to his Wei Ying, when Wei Ying had received him so beautifully, arched his back and cried Lan Wangji's name so perfectly, but Lan Wangji preferred it the other way, _loved it,_ how his Wei Ying would loom over him, focus so completely on him, how Wei Ying would ask him _what_ he wanted and _how_ he wanted it and _make_ Lan Wangji answer him, how Wei Ying would press kisses to his skin and murmur his praise and adoration, his _worship_. It made Lan Wangji _wild_.

Lan Wangji shifted a bit, his slight movement bringing to attention the part he refused to name, even in the privacy of his own head, where the evidence of Wei Ying's satisfied pleasure was most probably still dribbling out of him. Wei Ying's passion had been almost unhinged the previous night ( _more_ _like a scant four hours ago_ ), his teeth had dug in a little too hard, nails clutching a little too painfully, and every tender touch a little too desperate. Lan Wangji probably knew why.

They were going to test Young Master Stark's time machine today, it was done and Young Master Stark deemed it relatively safe, not that he'd know as it was yet to be tested. 

The general thought was to let Lan Wangji try it since Wei Ying _could_ and _would_ find him in the unforeseeable event that the machine malfunctioned and he found himself lost. Wei Ying was _not_ a fan and he'd expressed his displeasure, _loudly_ , and literally refused to talk to everyone that had been for the opinion of sending Lan Wangji. Lan Wangji was touched, he really was, but he was willing to risk dealing with Wei Ying's tantrum-like wrath if it meant Wei Ying wasn't going to use his dark arts unless absolutely necessary.

Wei Ying had tried to convince him; he'd begged and cried and pleaded even went as far as seducing, but Lan Wangji would not yield. He would, for _literally_ anything else, just not this. He knew the amount of sacrifice, physical, mental and psychological, required to do such a large scale expedition as time traveling from Wei Ying. Unless _absolutely_ necessary, Wei Ying wasn't doing it.

Wei Ying was stronger now Lan Wangji knew, he'd incorporated the amulet into himself as he'd planned, and he was okay, stable, _strong_ , a lot stronger than Lan Wangji had anticipated actually. The only side effect seemed to be his inability to control the redness of his eyes when he was experiencing emotional highs. Still. Lan Wangji wasn't letting him do it.

As if dragged awake by the sheer force of Lan Wangji's thoughts, Wei Ying shifted a bit,

"Lan Zhan?" he called sleepily, his voice gravely.

"Mm," Lan Wangji answered, melting at how Wei Ying shifted closer to hear the rumble of his chest.

"Today's the day, isn't it?"

"Mm."

"I already miss you and aren't even gone yet."

Wei Ying lifted himself up partially to better look at Lan Wangji, and the latter relished the sight of his love's eyes quickly turning a deep red.

Lan Wangji placed his palm on Wei Ying's cheek, hoping to convey his comfort and reassurance. His words still didn't come to him fast, and Wei Ying was a lot more patient these days, but Lan Wangji had the opportunity to touch and action did come a lot easier to him. So when Wei Ying leaned into the touch, his pretty lashes falling delicately, Lan Wangji leaned over and kissed him softly on the lips, his little sigh getting lost in the space between them.

When Lan Wangji pressed Wei Ying into the mattress using the barest pressure, Wei Ying opened for him like a flower of the night blooming to the light of the moon.

〰〰

"Ready when you are!" Young Master Stark exclaimed suddenly.

Lan Wangji should have been gone at least half an hour ago, he wasn't exactly complaining about Wei Ying clinging to him as if he'd _die tragically_ the moment he let go, but he was feeling kinda bad for wasting everyone else's time.

Wei Ying's instructions to "use your spiritual energy if you get lost, Lan Zhan, so I can find you; activate a talisman, use Bichen or Wangji, anything" rang in his head. He entangled Wei Ying's hand where it was clutching his jade token of passage on the belt at his waist.

"Wei Ying," he said softly and Wei Ying let go with a dejected little sound.

"Come back to me, Lan Zhan," he said equally soft.

Lan Wangji stared at his Wei Ying's face, his pretty red eyes throwing his facial features in sharp relief. He _was_ going to come back to Wei Ying.

He allowed himself a kiss to Wei Ying's cheek, because everyone else was watching them and he wasn't as comfortable with public displays of affection, as he stepped back and into the circle Young Master Banner had so helpfully drawn for him.

As the machine started humming and an amalgamation of bright colors engulfed him, he thought he saw Wei Ying send him a flying kiss, Lan Wangji wished he'd caught it.

〰〰

There was a countdown, Young Master Stark had said. Lan Wangji hadn't totally understood but he hadn't thought it would involve getting pulled back mid-conversation with his _xiongzhang_ and Uncle.

His brother was less scarred by the experience than he'd thought and that was mostly owing to Wei Ying's message that one time months ago. He hadn't been able to reach Sect Leader Jiang but his brother had agreed to convey the message of Wei Ying's wellbeing to him.

Personally, Lan Wangji didn't find any hilarity in the face his uncle made when he was suddenly yanked back, but he knew Wei Ying would, so he'd make sure to tell him. Sure Wei Ying would make him describe every single expression on the man, and anticipating/dreading it.

Before Lan Wangji completely faded, as his Uncle was having an existential crisis of truly epic proportions, Lan Huan smiled at him and asked him to,

"Pass my regards to Young Master Wei, please ask him to put in consideration how easily your pale skin bruises."

The heat in his ears lasted well into the future.

〰〰

"Lan Zhan!!" 

Lan Wangji smiled, easily catching his hyperactive ball of energy.

"It worked!" Young Master Stark screamed behind him, "Am I a genius or am I a genius?"

There was only Miss Romanov, Young Masters Stark and Wilson here, maybe the rest were on missions.

Lan Wangji turned his head this way and that to give Wei Ying better space to pepper butterfly kisses allover his face.

"You've been gone _forever_ , Lan Zhan," Wei Ying whined against his cheek.

It hasn't even been two days yet, the bruises Wei Ying left last time weren't even purpling yet.

"It's barely been two days, Wei Ying exaggerates," he said.

Everyone: ....

"Wangji, buddy, you've been gone a month," Miss Romanov said, smiling slightly at Wei Ying trying to climb him.

"How's everyone?" Wei Ying inquired, pushing Lan Wangji onto the couch in the workshop and promptly making himself comfortable in his lap.

"Fine, as far as I could tell."

Wei Ying merely hummed, settling more comfortably against him.

" _Xiongzhang_ sends his regards." and maybe someday he'd get the courage to inform Wei Ying of the message his brother had sent along with his greetings.

"Mhm," he hummed again. Patient and considerate, waiting for Lan Wangji to find his words.

"Couldn't meet with Jiang Wanyin, _xiongzhang_ will talk to him instead."

That was quite literally _all_ he had to report.

Wei Ying seemed to realize that too.

"I'm glad everyone is doing well back home," he smiled, "thank you for coming back to me, Lan Zhan."

Lan Wangji nuzzled into Wei Ying's rose scented hair, "will always come back to Wei Ying."

Wei Ying giggled lightly and bit at the still bruised skin of his throat, "I love you so very much, Lan Zhan."

Someone somewhere cooed.

"Welcome back, man. You guys are staying?"

"Yes," Wei Ying answered, "yes we are," his eyes swept over the workshop, his fingers already untying Lan Wangji's forehead ribbon, for a while."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And were done!!!!   
> Thank you guys for sticking with this to the end! I admit I faltered a bit and almost stopped but I made it... hurrah me🥳 lol.  
> Thank you for all the kudos and comments, they really gave me life during this.  
> Bye guys. I purple you💜


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